Thousands of New Zealand police will today pay tribute to 29 officers killed in the line of duty.
The annual Australasian and South Pacific Police Remembrance Day service, to be held at The Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua, north of Wellington, will honour those slain officers as well as all members of police, both serving and retired, who have died in the past year.
Senior Constable Len Snee was the last officer killed on the job. He was shot by Jan Molenaar while executing a search warrant in Napier on May 8 last year.
This year's service will pay special tribute to police dog Gage, who was shot dead in June when police made routine inquiries at a home in the Christchurch suburb of Phillipstown.
A smaller remembrance service was this morning held at St Mathews in the City in central Auckland.
The NZ Police website said those officers unable to attend services could show their support by wearing a Huia feather remembrance day pin, featuring the police chevron.
"By incorporating the police chevron into the Huia tail feather, the design of the pin symbolises the honouring of someone special, now lost to police," the website said.
Police Remembrance Day falls on the feast day of Archangel Michael, the patron saint of police.
Police Minister Judith Collins, who is currently in Korea, today issued a statement commending the bravery and dedication of police.
"The police are our first line of defence against violence, catastrophe and uncertainty. Every day police officers face danger in the pursuit of a safer community," she said.
"My thoughts go out to the families, friends and colleagues of those who have fallen and who will forever live with their loss."
Ms Collins said she was thankful no officers had been killed in the line of duty in the past year.
