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Slain police officer Len Snee was remembered yesterday as "one of the good ones" - a rugged but approachable cop for whom no job was too small.
The 53-year-old career policeman last night lay dead on a Napier lawn, beyond the reach of fellow police officers.
He was shot dead in a routine cannabis bust, his last act in 33 years of police service.
Constable Bruce Miller, Constable Grant Diver and an unnamed civilians were also shot by the 51-year-old gunman and this morning were in critical condition in Hawkes Bay Regional Hospital.
Both police officers had surgery yesterday and were in the intensive-care unit. Mr Miller was shot in the stomach and was in an induced coma.
All three policemen were described as long-serving officers, well known in the city, and family men.
Mr Snee leaves a wife, Vicki, and a son.
Colleagues described him as an "old-school cop" who threw himself into whatever job he was given and was not afraid to use unorthodox measures in his work.
An expert on drug cases, he had carried out many raids in forestry areas in Hawkes Bay, and was involved in the high-profile investigation into the murder of farmer Jack Nicholas.
Former police colleague and friend Keith Price told TV One's Close Up Mr Snee was a "silent achiever" and "a real good thief-catcher".
Napier lawyer Derek Quilliam had known Mr Snee for more than 10 years and said he was "terribly sad" to hear of his death.
"He was such a pleasure to do business with. He was one of the good ones, unfailingly good at his job.
"His methods were sometimes a little unorthodox, but he got some good results.
"As a person, he was always smiling and very pleasant. He was a hell of a nice guy. He will be missed."
Friends remembered Mr Snee as a rugby-loving father. He played for the Hawkes Bay province and was a Napier Technical Old Boys stalwart.
Hawkes Bay Rugby Union chairman Mike Bishop said Mr Snee played a few games in the midfield for Hawkes Bay in the mid-1980s and had a long club career.
"It's a sad day for Hawkes Bay - he was a well-liked guy."
When Technical Old Boys fell on hard times, battling for players, Mr Snee turned out year after year to help the club stay afloat, and was still playing in his 40s.
His nephew Dan Snee, also a midfield back, made his NPC debut for Otago last season.
"He was just a great stalwart," Mr Bishop said.
"He was a likeable bloke, a good old-fashioned rugby guy who liked a beer. It's a tragedy for the community. A lot of us knew Len."
Mr Diver, a dog handler, crawled to a neighbouring property to get help after being shot. He is married and in his 27th year in the police.
Mr Miller is the community constable for Ahuriri, the Napier suburb where the shooting happened.
He played soccer in Napier Marist's second division, and manager Andy Smith was his teammate for more than 20 years.
"I received a text about 10.30 saying he was involved," Mr Smith said.
"It's a huge shock. Last I heard he was in an induced coma so it's not looking good. But he is such a battler, a bloody competitor, so I'm hoping he'll pull through."
Mr Miller was also a scratch golfer at Napier's Maraenui Golf Club.
Police Minister Judith Collins paid tribute yesterday to Mr Snee, saying it was an "incredibly sad day for New Zealand police and for New Zealand generally".
"It's one of the worst things that can happen, for a police officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty."
Police Commissioner Howard Broad said he was distraught.
"This is a situation no police commissioner wishes to be in. Police, it is often said, are very much a family. And an event like this affects us all ... Right now I am deeply concerned for the families of the officers who are directly involved."
All the officers were known in their community, and the tragedy would be felt by staff in Napier "very keenly and for some time".
- additional reporting: NZPA
