Superintendent Sandra Venables reads the roll of honour during the Eastern District police commemoration at the Napier RSA yesterday. Photos / Glenn Taylor
Superintendent Sandra Venables reads the roll of honour during the Eastern District police commemoration at the Napier RSA yesterday. Photos / Glenn Taylor
For past and present police staff in Hawke's Bay yesterday was a time to remember and a time to catch up.
About 150 people, a mix of current and former police staff, as well as some members of the public gathered at the Napier RSA to pay tribute to and commemorate officers who lost their lives while carrying out their duties.
The names of the 29 police and traffic officers who have died were read out at the Police Remembrance Day service, as were the names of sworn and non-sworn police who had died over the past year and those of retired and former staff who had died.
Among those in attendance were family of both Glenn McKibbin and Len Snee - and at the front of the room photographs of both were set up.
Constable Glenn McKibbin was shot dead while on duty in Flaxmere in 1996 and Senior Constable Len Snee was gunned down by Jan Molenaar in what sparked the Napier seige in 2009.
The service began with a formal welcome and acknowledgement of "those passed on" by Matua Tom Mulligan.
"I am wearing my rugby jacket today," Mr Mulligan said, explaining he was doing so for two reasons.
One was that he had an appointment later in the morning to open an Under 16 tournament and the second was that Mr Snee had been "a very talented rugby player - and we remember him today".
Mr Mulligan said it was an important day as it gave police and the public the opportunity to honour and remember all those who had died in service to the society they had sworn to protect.
Inspector Tania Kura (Area Commander Hawke's Bay), takes the podium.
Eastern Police District Inspector Tania Kuria said it was pleasing to see retired members and the families of those lost in attendance, and she had advice for those still serving - "get together and enjoy the camaraderie of your colleagues".
Superintendent Sandra Venables read the names of the 29 officers, while Sergeant Malcolm Lochrie read the names of the sworn and non-sworn members of police who had passed way over the past year.
Former Napier CIB Detective Senior Sergeant Bill Gregory and retired long-serving Havelock North officer Senior Constable Ron Thorne read the names of retired and former staff who had died over the past year.
It was a long list, and for retired officers like Ian Holyoake a poignant one.
"Someone asked me if I recognised many of the names and I did - I worked with several of them."
Mr Gregory said it was a special occasion for all. "It is about old friends catching up and it is about remembering our colleagues - there are a lot of memories here."
The Reverend Heather Flavell read the prayer - and one line simply summed it up when it came to the police getting out and doing their job. "Keep them safe from any harm as they carry out their duties."
