Police have today unveiled a new Wall of Remembrance at the New Zealand Police Dog Training Centre commemorating the 24 police dogs who have been killed on duty since 1972.
The 6m long x 2m high rock and panelled wall was unveiled by Deputy Commissioner: District Operations Viv Rickard and Minister of Statistics and Associate Justice Minister the Hon Mark Mitchell who is a former dog handler.
The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Resource Management Audrey Sonerson and Deputy Chief Executive Public Affairs Karen Jones, along with other guests including seven retired dog handlers whose dogs have plaques on the wall, and two current dog handlers Senior Constable Bruce Lamb from Christchurch and Constable Josh Robertson from Wellington. Their dogs Gage and Gazza were both fatally shot while on duty and are included on the wall.
Deputy Commissioner Rickard said New Zealand Police dog teams attend more than 40,000 incidents each year. “The dogs remembered today were our partners and are remembered in the same way as any of our colleagues would be.
“For dog handlers, their police dog is their closest back up.”
Statistics Minister and Associate Justice Minister Mark Mitchell described the Trentham complex as a “world-class dog training centre” and acknowledged its breeding and training development reputation.
Inspector Todd Southall, national coordinator of Police Dogs, said the new Wall of Remembrance is a significant centre piece for all handlers who train at the Trentham based centre and replaces a previous one which was tucked away in an internal corridor and not readily visible to those visiting the Trentham based facility.
“With the growth of the training centre, the wall remembering our dogs was no longer the centre piece of the training centre that it should be.
“The death of Gazza in Porirua last year reminded us all how a police dog’s death affects the wider police family, and indeed the public. It reinforced our desire to open a significant point of remembrance.”
Constable Robertson and his family unveiled the remembrance plaque for Gazza, killed during an incident in Porirua on 22 April 2016.
He said the ceremony brought back a lot of emotion, but also some closure.
“I had Gazza from eight weeks old. He delivered the whole way through and he taught me how to be a good dog handler. You can’t describe the bond you have with your police dog. I miss him every day.”
He is now working operationally with another patrol dog with the Wellington dog section.
Details of the dogs who have been killed while on duty since 1972 are listed below along with the names of their handlers, and officers’ ranks at the time:
Nero Napier 24.11.1972 Constable Dave Painter BEM
Nick Wellington 04.12.1975 Constable Murray Cameron
Thor New Plymouth 28.07.1977 Constable Des McKibbin
Barlow Wellington 21.11.1979 Constable Allan Rowlands
Jon Christchurch 03.11.1982 Constable Geoff Stock
Ebba Auckland 21.03.1983 Constable Eoin Gorrie
Panzer Auckland 11.07.1983 Constable Grant Bradford
Luke Auckland 28.10.1983 Constable Jim Donald
Sarge Auckland 12.10.1984 Constable Eoin Gorrie
Ozi Tauranga 27.10.1988 Constable Eoin Gorrie
Josh Auckland 25.03.1989 Constable Colin Howard
Rada Hastings 18.12.1989 Constable Grant Diver
Lance Dunedin 18.10.1991 Constable Craig Edge
Ryka Auckland 15.05.1992 Constable Steve Shadbolt
Rex Wellington 20.10.1992 Constable Geoff Gwyn
Spike Tauranga 15.05.1994 Constable John Roff
Kone Christchurch 18.05.1994 Constable Andy Phillips
Jock Matata 17.07.1994 Constable AJ Staples
Mal Auckland 03.10.1996 Constable Shane Salmond
Valour Kawerau 08.02.1998 Constable Bruce McLeod
Duke Oamaru 18.02.2003 Senior Constable Bill Phiskie
Enzo Tauranga 09.08.2007 Constable Kayne Cording
Gage Christchurch 13.07.2010 Senior Constable Bruce Lamb
Gazza Wellington 22.04.2016 Constable Josh Robertson
ENDS
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