List of New Zealand police officers killed in the line of duty

This is a list of New Zealand Police officers killed in the line of duty. As of 2009, 29 police officers have been killed by criminal act,[1][2] and about 17 have died from accidental causes, during the execution of duty. There has been one instance of multiple police deaths, when Stanley Graham gunned down four officers attempting to apprehend him in 1941, and four double fatalities. Most of the homicides have been a result of gunshot wounds, the accidents mainly due to either drowning or vehicle (car/aircraft) accidents.

A slain officer may receive a police funeral, including an honour guard and flag-draped casket,[3] and be officially mourned in the New Zealand House of Representatives.[4][5] At least four officers have received posthumous honours—Sergeant Stewart Guthrie received the highest Commonwealth civilian decoration, the George Cross. The Lou Grant Award, created in the memory of the police sergeant who died in the 1993 Eagle helicopter mid-air collision, is awarded every second year for excellence and contributions to search and rescue.

The Memorial Wall at The Royal New Zealand Police College lists the names of fallen colleagues, whom the service commemorates annually on Police Remembrance Day. The Police Association together with the New Zealand Police introduced a Police Remembrance Day Pin in 2007, for officers to wear to honour the memory of those slain during the course of duty. The pin combines a Huia tail feather with a police chevron; the Huia bird was sacred in Māori culture, wearing of its feathers restricted to people of high status.

In addition to the human officers, 23 police dogs have died in the line of duty;[6] notably the drowning of Enzo in 2007,[7] and Gage, a six-year-old German Shepherd, in 2010.

Officers

       shaded rows denotes when officers were killed in the same incident.

Killed by criminal act

Since 1 September 1886.[8]

Badge RankNameAgeHonoursDate CircumstanceLocation Notes
91Constable Neil McLeod4430 July 1890Gumdigger Henry Funcke was removed from a steamer and had his rifle confiscated. He became angry and drew a concealed pistol, firing several shots at the departing ship, one of which struck McLeod in the chestDargaville (Mangawhare Wharf)[9]
674Sergeant John Patrick Hackett McGuire4214 April 1910Shot in the stomach during a manhunt, and died four days later. John Joseph Powelka was acquitted of murder but received 21 cumulative years for seven charges of burglaryPalmerston North[10]
963ConstableJohn Doyle355 February 1913Died in hospital two days after being assaulted by two men in the Albion HotelShannon[11]
2030Constable Vivian Dudding326 October 1919Attending a domestic dispute, he was shot in the head and died an hour laterThorndon, Wellington[12]
1764Constable James Dorgan3727 August 1921Shot investigating a break-in, the killer was never foundTimaru[13]
1582Constable Thomas Heeps5021 October 1934Died in Waikato Hospital after being shot twice by Henare Hona, the subject of a manhuntOtorohanga (nearby)[14]
2209Sergeant William Cooper438 October 1941Shot by farmer Stanley Graham, who they were attempting to apprehend after he refused to surrender firearmsHokitika (nearby)[15]
3526Constable Frederick William Jordan26[16]
3039Constable Percy Campbell Tulloch35[17]
2364Constable Edward Mark Best42[18]
36Traffic Officer John Kehoe2431 January 1949Shot several times by Richard Angus McGill, who he had stopped for speeding with his motorcycleWhakatane[19]
2691Sergeant William Shore Hughes4827 May 1951Shot dead during a domestic dispute by Noema Raana RikaOtaki[20]
Detective Inspector Wallace Chalmers46QPM6 January 1963Shot dead by Victor George Wasmuth while attending a shootingWaitakere Ranges[21]
2839Detective Sergeant Neville Wilson Power25QPM[22]
4321Constable James Thomas Richardson243 February 1963Both shot while sitting in police car, after responding to a domestic disputeLower Hutt[23]
3809Constable Brian Leslie Schultz21[24]
4699Constable Donald Richard Stokes2315 August 1966Beaten by escaping prisoners at Dunedin police station, died later in hospitalDunedin[25]
2950Sergeant Gilbert Peter Arcus444 February 1970Assaulted by a mentally disturbed woman he was trying to placate, fell and struck his head on the ground, dying from the injury an hour laterTauranga[26]
5052Constable Peter William Murphy2125 September 1976Shot attending a break-in at a sports shopInvercargill[27]
1395Traffic Officer Barry Yorston Gibson3213 June 1977Assaulted by a motorist and died in hospital from head injuriesNew Plymouth[28]
1351Traffic Officer Robin James Dudding44GM7 April 1986Taken hostage and later shot dead by Ross KametaLake Rotoiti, Bay of Plenty[29][30]
4601Senior Constable Peter Morris Umbers35GM27 May 1990Bashed to death with his own baton by Richard Thomas Lakich, who he had stoppedRanfurly (nearby)[31]
5024SergeantStewart Guthrie41GC13 November 1990Shot in the head after encountering and firing a warning shot at spree killer David Gray during the Aramoana massacreAramoana[32]
D717Constable Glenn Arthur McKibben2521 April 1996Shot standing beside his police car by former soldier Terence Thompson, who was later shot dead by Armed Offenders Squad.Flaxmere, Hastings[33][34]
G083ConstableLester Murray Stretch3827 May 1999Bashed to death by Carlos Namana, a burglar he had followed from a break-inMangakino[35][36]
F272Detective ConstableDuncan Taylor39NZBM5 July 2002Died instantly after being shot by teenager Daniel Luff, his partner escaped woundedRongotea, Manawatu[37][38][39]
G092Sergeant Derek Wootton5211 July 2008Struck by a carjacked vehicle with a hostage fleeing police while laying road spikesTitahi Bay[35][40][41]
I417Sergeant Don Wilkinson4711 September 2008Disturbed while attempting to secretly fix a tracking device to a car, received several shots from a .22 air rifle, one fatally through the chestMangere[42][43]
5766 Senior Constable Leonard Snee 537 May 2009Shot executing a cannabis search warrant by former territorial soldier Jan Molenaar, other officers and a member of the public received gunshot woundsNapier [44]

Killed by accident

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
BadgeRankNameAgeHonoursDate CircumstanceLocation Notes
ConstableFitzgerald26 September 1851Drowned when a boat making for the Lady Nugent capsizedLyttelton Harbour[45][46]
Sergeant-MajorEdward John Garvey30Légion d'honneur25 September 1863Died in a snowstorm on his way to inspect mine diggings near NasebyKakanui Range[47][48][49]
ConstableJohn Duncan 28 May 1865Drowned travelling in a punt to investigate a burglaryKaniere (nearby)
ConstableJames Robinson13 November 1891Fell and struck head on iron bar at police stationWestport[50][51][52]
ConstableDenis Mahoney c. 38 28 March 1914Killed by an explosion, together with 7 other volunteers, while fighting a fire at the Benge and Pratt store.Upper Hutt[53]
ConstableA J Dillon c. 32 18 January 1916Drowned with nurse Regan who he was attempting to saveWest Coast[54]
ConstableAdam George Begg 26 24 February 1926Killed by a passing train while searching the Parnell Tunnel for an escaped prisoner.Parnell, Auckland[55][56]
ConstableJames Shields October 1933Car was hit by the Rotorua Express at a railway crossingHuntly (nearby)
ConstableCharles Williams August 1935Drowned attempting to save a woman who fell from the Hamilton Railway BridgeWaikato River
ConstableW J Watt 10 August 1939Car went off Elephant Hill bridge, returning to a shooting investigation, Constable Black seriously injuredWaimate (nearby)[57]
191ConstableCecil Edgar Orr 3824 February 1942Struck and killed by a train whilst searching for property along the railway tracksParnell[58]
ConstableAlan Robert Liddell 2226 February 1976Drowned while conducting an investigation with two colleagues, into a drowning on the river 17 days earlierGrey River[59]
ConstableGreg Rowe 231 April 1978Drowned after leg became entangled in a rope and fell overboard from Lady Elizabeth IIPalliser Bay (nearby)[60][61]
Senior Sergeant Phillip William "Phil" Ward 392 July 1986Drowned when police launch Lady Elizabeth II capsized during a storm, two other officers rescued by Peter ButtonWellington Harbour[62]
Constable Glenn Andrews Hughes 28
Detective Anthony Raymond "Tony" Harrod 4317 December 1990Fell from helicopter sling during cannabis recovery operationWaitotara Valley, Taranaki[63][64]
SergeantLindsay Eion "Lou" Grant3926 November 1993Police helicopter Eagle collided mid-air with a Piper Archer traffic spotting aircraft. Two civilians also died.Auckland City[65]
ConstableAlastair Alan Sampson 27
Senior Constable Phillip Anthony "Piripi" Wipatene5515 July 2004Patrol car collided with another car on the Oakura BridgeNew Plymouth (14 km southwest)[66]
Detective Travis Hughes 3729 January 2005Cessna 172 aircraft crashed while on cannabis reconnaissance, civilian pilot also diedGibbston Valley, Central Otago[67][68]
Police Employee Pamela (Pam) Brien 5422 February 2011Killed in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Pamela Brien was at a work-related meeting related to her job in the child protection unit of the Christchurch detachment when the earthquake hit, resulting in the CTV Building she was in collapsing. Christchurch[69]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "'Routine' operation which left policeman dead not considered high risk". New Zealand Herald. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
  2. ↑ "Three officers shot at, one killed - report". New Zealand Herald. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
  3. ↑ "Wellington-Funeral of Sergeant Derek Wootton". NZPA Images. 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
  4. ↑ "Motions — New Zealand Police—Death of Sergeant Derek Wootton". Hansard. New Zealand Parliament. 22 July 2008. p. 17231. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
  5. ↑ "Motions — New Zealand Police—Death of Sergeant Don Wilkinson". Hansard. New Zealand Parliament. 11 September 2008. p. 18811. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
  6. ↑ Booker, Jarrod (13 July 2010). "Six-year-old Gage 23rd dog to die on duty". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  7. ↑ "Man jailed for killing police dog". New Zealand Herald. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  8. ↑ Details mostly from the Memorial webpage of the New Zealand police. Accessed 2008-10-27.
  9. ↑ "Neil McLeod". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  10. ↑ "John McGuire". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  11. ↑ "John Doyle". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  12. ↑ "Vivian Dudding". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  13. ↑ "James Dorgan". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  14. ↑ "Thomas Heeps". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  15. ↑ "William Cooper". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  16. ↑ "Frederick Jordan". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  17. ↑ "Percy Tulloch". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  18. ↑ "Edward Best". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  19. ↑ "John Kehoe". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  20. ↑ "William Hughes". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  21. ↑ "Wallace Chalmers". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  22. ↑ "Neville Power". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  23. ↑ "James Richardson". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  24. ↑ "Brian Schultz". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  25. ↑ "Donald Stokes". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  26. ↑ "Gilbert Arcus". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  27. ↑ "Peter Murphy". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  28. ↑ "Barry Gibson". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  29. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 51059. p. 11343. 11 September 1987. Retrieved 2009-05-01.
  30. ↑ "Robin Dudding". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  31. ↑ "Peter Umbers". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  32. ↑ "Stewart Guthrie". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  33. ↑ "Glenn McKibben". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  34. ↑
  35. 1 2 Gay, Edward and NZPA (16 July 2008). "Police form guard of honour for fallen officer". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  36. ↑ "Lester Stretch". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  37. ↑ "Heroes among us: Our top kiwis named for NZ Bravery Awards". New Zealand Herald. 29 January 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  38. ↑ "Duncan Taylor". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  39. ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/7225708/Remembering-Duncan
  40. ↑ "NZ policeman killed by stolen car". SBS Australia. 11 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  41. ↑ "Derek Wootton". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  42. ↑ Milne, Rebecca (14 September 2008). "Single shot among many killed officer". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  43. ↑ "Don Wilkinson". New Zealand Police. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  44. ↑ "Police name officer shot dead". New Zealand Herald. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-06.http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/remembrance-day-2014.pdf
  45. ↑ "News and Notes". Lyttelton Times. 27 September 1851.
  46. ↑ "Canterbury". Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle X (502). 18 October 1851. p. 134. Retrieved 18 October 2008.
  47. ↑ (McGill 1992, p. 247)
  48. ↑ "News of the Week". Otago Witness (643). 26 March 1864. p. 13. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  49. ↑ "Cemetery Details". Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  50. ↑ (Hill 1995, p. 11)
  51. ↑ "The Grey River Argus". Grey River Argus. XXXII (7376). 1 June 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  52. ↑ "Untitled". Evening Post XLII (118). 14 November 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  53. ↑ "Deadly tragedy to be commemorated". Upper Hutt Leader. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  54. ↑ "Surf Bathing Accident". Grey River Argus. 19 January 1916. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  55. ↑ "A Policeman's Fate". Evening Post. 24 February 1926. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  56. ↑ "The Inquest". Evening Post. 24 February 1926. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  57. ↑ "Constable Killed". Otago Daily Times. 11 August 1939.
  58. ↑ "Constable Killed". New Zealand Herald. 25 February 1942.
  59. ↑ "Policeman drowned". Otago Daily Times. 28 February 1976. pp. 1, 3.
  60. ↑ "Tears for constable 30 years on". Dominion Post. 7 April 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  61. ↑ "Police News" (PDF). New Zealand Police Association. May 2008. p. 97. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  62. ↑ "Police launch capsizes in storm; two dead". Otago Daily Times. 3 July 1986. p. 1.
  63. ↑ "Fall kills policeman". Otago Daily Times. 18 December 1990. p. 2.
  64. ↑ "Investigation 90-012T". Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  65. ↑ "Investigation 93-020". Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  66. ↑ "Annual Report year ended 30 June 2005". New Zealand Police. 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  67. ↑ "Plane crash inquest winds up". TVNZ. 31 March 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-18.
  68. ↑ "Investigation 05-002". Transport Accident Investigation Commission. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  69. ↑ "Pamela Brien". NZHerald. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-20.

References

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