Mr Berntsen said it was great to have his father's death remembered in that way and he would be attending a local Police Remembrance Day service on September 29.
"I think it's a very good idea," he said. "I mean all these policemen and policewomen, they died while they were on duty. The police is a service, not a business."
Mr Berntsen said his father's file had been an official secret for 50 years.
"I've never really talked about it through the years because no one's talked about it."
Retired Wellington police officer Trevor Morley has led the push to get all officers who died on duty recognised and he spoke about his campaign against the "injustice" at a Wanganui Police Club lunch on Thursday.
"It's not the manner of death, it's the fact that they died in the lawful execution of their duty," he told the Chronicle.
Having their names read out was a start, but Mr Morley wanted the names inscribed on the memorial as well.
"How they are going to be permanently recognised I don't know, but I would like them to be honoured in the same way as those whose names are already there."
Another local officer who will now be remembered on September 29 was Anthony Harrod, who fell from a helicopter while on a police cannabis operation.
"That's a death on duty if ever there was one," Mr Morley said.
While 38 new names have been added to the roll this year, Mr Morley believes the total number could go into three figures.
