Source: New Zealand Police
Media are invited to the Police Remembrance Day national service.
What: Each year New Zealand Police commemorates Police Remembrance Day on 29 September, the feast day of the Archangel Michael, the patron saint of police.
Who: Police staff and members of the Police family will gather to remember colleagues now lost to us.
We will honour staff who have been slain or died as a result of their duties, as well as serving, retired and former Police staff who have passed away in the preceding 12 months.
We will also remember our police colleagues in Australia and the Pacific who have been killed by criminal acts while performing their official duties or died as a result of their duties.
Among those remembered will be Retired Commissioner Ken Thompson – Commissioner of Police from 1984 to 1986, Constable Glenn Hughes and Senior Sergeant Philip Ward who tragically died in the Lady Elizabeth II disaster 40 years ago, and Constable Glenn McKibbin who was slain on duty 30 years ago. Other significant anniversaries will also be acknowledged.
Where: Gymnasium at the Royal New Zealand Police College, Porirua.
When: Tuesday 29 September at 11am – media will need to be in place by 10.45am.
How: RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz; then come to the reception area of the RNZPC.
More about the service:
Assistant Commissioner Jeanette Park will lead the service and Assistant Commissioner Corrie Parnell will speak on behalf of Commissioner Richard Chambers.
They will lay wreaths at the Memorial Wall and recruits will perform a haka to honour those being remembered.
The Remembrance Day national service will be livestreamed on the Police website, the New Zealand Police Facebook page and the New Zealand Police Museum Facebook page from 11am on Tuesday 29 September. The livestreaming will be recorded and will remain on the Facebook pages and website to watch after the service.
In addition to the national service, local Remembrance Day services will be held across the country. Commissioner Richard Chambers and Police Minister Mark Mitchell will commemorate the day with staff in Eastern District where they will remember slain officers Constable Glenn McKibbin and Senior Constable Len Snee. Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers and Associate Police Minister Casey Costello will be with staff in Tāmaki Makaurau.
About the huia pin:
On Police Remembrance Day and in the week leading up to it, Police staff throughout New Zealand wear the huia pin which was developed by the Police Association and New Zealand Police. The tail plumage of the huia bird – now lost to us – is something rare and special, and to wear it is considered by Māori to be a great honour. 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.
ENDS
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/25/media-advisory-police-remembrance-day-on-tuesday-29-september/