On 31 December 2024, Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, 62, was working a New Year’s Eve public safety operation in Central Nelson.

Just after 2:00am, Lyn was on foot patrol with other officers, when she was struck by a violent offender using a car as a weapon. Lyn, along with another officer, was severely injured.

Sadly, Lyn’s injuries were not survivable, and she died in the early afternoon of New Year’s Day.

The offender was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with Murder and Attempted Murder amongst other serious charges.

Lyn was a highly respected leader in the Nelson Bays team with 38 years of front-line service to New Zealand Police, most of which was spent serving the Nelson community.

She was the first female officer to be killed in the line of duty in New Zealand.