This is a list of New Zealand Police officers and non-sworn staffMembers of the New Zealand Police are in two categories, “sworn” constables (sworn as they must swear allegiance to the Monarch of New Zealand) who have the power of arrest, and “non-sworn” civilian staff who do not have the power to arrest. killed in the line of duty. As of 2025, 34 police officers have been killed by criminal act, 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 (and two wartime home guardsmen) 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, and be officially mourned in the New Zealand House of Representatives. 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, 24 police dogs have died in the line of duty; notably the drowning of Enzo in 2007, Gage, a six-year-old German Shepherd, in 2010. In 2014, 4-year-old German Shepherd Gazza was shot and killed in Porirua.
Officers
Killed by criminal act Since 1 September 1886.Details mostly from the Memorial webpage of the New Zealand police. Accessed 2008-10-27. QID (Query identity) RankNameAgeHonoursDate CircumstanceLocation Notes 91Constable Neil McLeod44Gumdigger 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 chest.Dargaville (Mangawhare Wharf) 674Sergeant John Patrick Hackett McGuire42Shot 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 burglary.Palmerston North 963ConstableJohn Doyle35Died in Palmerston North hospital four days after being assaulted by two men he was escorting out of the Albion Hotel. Peter MacDonald was charged with grievous bodily harm and sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment.Shannon 2030Constable Vivian Dudding32Shot in the head while attending a domestic dispute where the divorced husband Alexander Aspin broke into his ex-wives house.Thorndon, Wellington 1764Constable James Dorgan37Shot at point blank range while investigating a break-in at T & J Thomson’s Department Store, the killer was never found.Timaru 1582Constable Thomas Heeps50Shot twice while attempting to apprehend Henare Hona, the subject of a manhunt after the brutal mass murder of the Davenport family. Heeps died in Waikato Hospital the next day.Morrinsville (nearby) 2209Sergeant William Cooper43Shot by farmer Stanley Graham, who they were attempting to apprehend after he refused to surrender his firearm for the war effort. Grahman further shot dead two home guardsmen Richard Coulson and Gregory Hutchison. Graham was shot dead by police following at 12 day manhunt. Hokitika (nearby) 3526Constable Frederick William Jordan26 3039Constable Percy Campbell Tulloch35 2364Constable Edward Mark Best42 36Traffic Officer John Kehoe24Shot several times by Richard Angus McGill, who he had stopped for speeding with his motorcycle. A farmer was also shot, but survived. John Kehoe was the first Traffic Officer to be killed in the line of duty.Whakatāne 2691Sergeant William Shore Hughes48Gold Merit AwardShot while investigating a call for help after Noema Raana Rika armed with a shotgun threatened a family firing multiple shots. Despite being shot in the arm Hughes wrestled for the shotgun, but another shot was fired and Hughes was killed. Mary Wehipeihana Te Hiwi and her daughters, Pearl and Victoria were also killed. Noema Raana Rika shot himself in the chest.Ōtaki Detective Inspector Wallace Chalmers46QPMShot dead by Victor George Wasmuth while attending a shooting. Wasmuth had already killed a neighbour and injured another man before police arrived. He was later declared insane.Waitākere Ranges 2839Detective Sergeant Neville Wilson Power25QPM 4321Constable James Thomas Richardson24Shot dead by Bruce Douglas McPhee who had been drinking and taking tranquillisers. The pair were sitting in their police car outside McPhee's address, after responding to investigate a domestic dispute.Lower Hutt 3809Constable Brian Leslie Schultz21 4699Constable Donald Richard Stokes23Set upon and beaten with a broom handle by escaping prisoners at Dunedin police station, Stokes died later in hospital. Both prisoners were sentenced to life imprisonment.Dunedin 2950Sergeant Gilbert Peter Arcus44Assaulted by a mentally disturbed woman he was trying to placate, Arcus was pushed to the floor and struck his head on the ground, dying from the fatal skull fracture an hour later.Tauranga 5052Constable Peter William Murphy21Shot by a teenage burglar while attending a break-in at sports retailer Smith & Rainsford Ltd. Around six shots were fired with one hitting Murphy in the head.Invercargill 1395Traffic Officer Barry Yorston Gibson32Assaulted after stopping a car, Gibson's jaw was broken in two places and he was severely concussed, Gibson never regained consciousness and a week later he died in hospital.New Plymouth 1351Traffic Officer Robin Jamieson Dudding44GMTaken hostage after the driver of a truck he had waved down stepped out with a shotgun. Dudding was forced to drive to Rotorua, however Dudding instead drove to Lake Rotorua in what was likely an attempt to gain time. Dudding was shot after attempting to disarm the offender.Lake Rotoiti, Bay of Plenty 4601Senior Constable Peter Morris Umbers35GMBeaten to death with his own baton by Richard Thomas Lakich, who he had stopped after Lakich had fled a hotel bar robbery. Umbers' injuries were so severe it was first believed he had been shot.Ranfurly (nearby) 5024SergeantStewart Guthrie41GCShot in the head after encountering David Gray at his house during the Aramoana massacre. Gurthrie challenged Gray and fired a warning shot as he left the house. Gray fired several times, striking Guthrie killing him instantly. Guthrie was the 13th and last person killed in the Aramoana massacre.Aramoana D717Constable Glenn Arthur McKibben25Shot while talking to a motorist and standing beside his police car in a random shooting by former soldier Terence Thompson. Thompson was shot dead by the Armed Offenders Squad following a 9 week manhunt.Flaxmere, Hastings G083ConstableLester Murray Stretch38Beaten to death by Carlos Namana who Stretch has chased following a theft at a local dairy. Outside the local hospital Namana resisted arrest and Stretch died at the scene from severe head injuries. Mangakino F272Detective ConstableDuncan Taylor39NZBMShot by a teenager Daniel Luff after stopping him for violating a protection order. Luff exited his vehicle with a stolen high-powered rifle, he shot Taylor without warning. Taylor's partner, Detective Sergeant Jeanette Park was shot in the leg, but escaped. Park was awarded the New Zealand Bravery Star.Rongotea, Manawatū G092Sergeant Derek Wootton52Struck by a carjacked vehicle driven by Mongrel Mob member Andrew Popo who was wanted for serious assault and was actively fleeing police. Wootton was struck by the vehicle while laying road spikes on Dimock St. Titahi Bay I417Sergeant Don Wilkinson47Shot by a .22 air rifle while attempting to secretly fix a tracking device to a car. Wilkinson and his unnamed partner fled after being confronted by Iain Clegg and John Skinner, the two officers were chased and Wilkinson was cornered and at close range received several shots from a .22 air rifle, one fatally through the chest. Wilkinson's partner was shot multiple times but survived.Māngere 5766 Senior Constable Leonard Snee 53Shot while leaving a cannabis search warrant by former territorial soldier Jan Molenaar. Senior Constables Bruce Miller, Grant Diver and a member of the public Lenny Holmwood were also shot. A 51 hour standoff ensued during which the offender shot an array of primarily high-powered rifles and shotguns at police and the public.14 people including 10 police officer, 1 paramedic and 3 member of the public received bravery awards following the shooting.Napier MHIH84 ConstableMatthew Dennis Hunt28NZBD19 June 2020 Shot dead after exiting his patrol car to help his partner Constable Dave Goldfinch who had been shot 4 four times by Eli Epiha while providing first aid to a member of the public who was struck when a vehicle driven by Epiha crashed. Hunt was shot four times including once in the back. When delivering the sentence the High Court said that Epiha had continued shooting even after Hunt had fallen to the ground. Epiha pleaded guilty to Hunt's murder. MasseyLFE773Senior SergeantLyn Fleming62Struck by a vehicle driving at speed while conducting a foot patrol in the Nelson City Centre. The incident was described as unprovoked and senseless. Another officer was seriously injured and a further officer and two members of the public were injured, but are stable. Hayden Donald Jason Tasker has been found guilty of Flemings murder.Nelson
Killed by accident