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The mother of a murdered policeman says she knew her son was dead before being told by police.
Sergeant Don Wilkinson was shot several times during a covert drug operation in Mangere last week.
Mrs Beverley Lawrie said she had been listening to the radio last Thursday morning and heard that a police officer had been slain putting a tracking device on a car.
"I knew it was Donnie. I knew. I sat down again and waited for the knock at the door," she told media today.
"The knock came 10 minutes later."
Mrs Lawrie said Senior Sergeant Kevin Hooper of the Oamaru police came to her door.
"I said 'Donnie's dead' and he said 'Yes, I'm sorry Bev, Don is dead'. You know, you just know," said the mother of the 46-year-old-officer at a press conference in Otahuhu.
Mrs Lawrie said her son was a "wonderful man" who loved his job.
Mrs Beverley Lawrie said when her only child wasn't working he loved playing squash, sailing, tramping, bike riding and parachuting.
"Donnie was a man who lived on the edge."
Sergeant Wilkinson was the 28th officer to die in the line of duty.
Earlier today Mrs Lawrie met with members of her son's unit and visited the area where he and his police partner were shot. She said she saw flowers and read cards and visited the Manukau Policing Centre where she read tributes to her son.
Tomorrow Mrs Lawrie will meet privately with the surviving officer who was also injured in the attack, before her son's funeral on Thursday where she will give a eulogy.
This afternoon she spoke with warmth and obvious pride in her son and his achievements, describing herself as "a devastated mum".
Mrs Lawrie, a school teacher for 46 years, said she knew the job he did was dangerous.
She said her son was "his own person, a private person" and he liked to spend time by himself.
Mrs Lawrie said she was very proud of her only child who "lived the way he wanted to."
"He never gave me a moment's trouble," she said.
Sergeant Wilkinson was not married. His mother said that after coming home from serving overseas he wanted to get married and settle down.
She described him fondly as "a scruff" and a terrible cook.
Mrs Lawrie said she didn't think the shock had worn off, but she said she would "hold it together until we cremate him on Thursday".
