A resounding haka that fittingly set off police dogs' barking echoed throughout the forest as the body of Detective Steve Allpress was carried from his funeral service.
Hundreds of police officers lined the entrance to The Redwoods in Rotorua and stood to attention, some fighting tears, in a guard of honour for their mate, colleague and funny man.
Mr Allpress was farewelled by about 800 people today following his nine-month battle with cancer. He died last Friday, aged 54.
As well as police staff - many in uniform and some wearing their armed offenders' squad berets in recognition of his squad years - there were also members of St John Ambulance, the Fire Service, Crown law, defence lawyers, the New Zealand Army, Rotorua Hospital, Rotorua Lakes Council, Maori leaders, friends and family.
It was a service that had just as many laughs as it did tears, with both his teenage children, Tegan and Reuben, speaking, as well as family and Rotorua police colleagues.
His first cousin Vicky Collis' eulogy mentioned Mr Allpress' history in the New Zealand Army where he did a plumbing apprenticeship as well as served in Fiji and Scott Base.
His love of the outdoors saw him do four Coast To Coast multisport events and he also worked as a council building inspector and travelled overseas.
He later applied for the police but was declined because he was too short.
She said he was "short in stature but not in character" because as soon as police height rules changed, he reapplied and was accepted, graduating in 2000.
He married his long-time partner, Kylie, at a service also in The Redwoods - one of his favourite places - at the end of last year.
Reuben Allpress said his father would joke with his kids and practise his arresting skills, putting their hands behind their backs after they had "robbed a bank".
"I don't know if he was a good parent or a bad cop but we always got out."
Reuben said his father was convinced his cancer diagnosis was just a "speed bump".
"He kept asking doctors when he could go back to work.
"The world has lost a great man and I have lost an even greater father.
"Dad, I hope you find the perfect spot to build your's and Kylie's dream house ... I will miss you every single day. I love you more than you will ever know."
Tegan Allpress, 18, said her father was dedicated to his job.
She remembered driving with him when he spotted a "person of interest".
"To cut a long story short, we ended up at some random farm in the middle of nowhere with me begging him to leave because I was scared. His reply was 'no, I have to watch this'," she said.
She said her father had many sayings, or what her family and his police colleagues referred to as "Allpressisms".
Her favourite was "if you're not living on the edge you are taking up too much space".
"Daddy, you are the strongest person I know. The way you have fought, you have made me more than proud. No more sickness, no more pain ... go find us the prettiest lake and mountain bike trails."
Sergeant Phil Wilkinson, who was in charge of a Rotorua Police Welfare Fund charity auction last year in Mr Allpress' honour that raised $92,000 (80 per cent of which will go towards Mr Allpress' children's education with the rest remaining in the fund), recounted funny stories about his best friend.
Mr Wilkinson said Mr Allpress followed him in roles including general duties, the armed offenders squad, on a burglary squad, and then CIB.
"It became very clear to me that Steve thought I was a good b*****d and wanted to work with me."
He said they once did a secret operation "clearing a house".
Mr Allpress was in a side room looking for "the bad man", as Mr Allpress liked to call them, when he was motioned to move into the next room. But he got tangled up in a Christmas tree on his way.
"There were arms and legs and stuff going in all directions. The rest of us were watching him shaking our heads ... in stealth mode, ever the professionals of course.
"He got more aggressive with said tree and it eventually toppled over. He made a hell of a racket in that covert clearance."
Mr Wilkinson said given Mr Allpress' army training, he loved the "pomp and hoopla" that came with ceremonies.
He often gave Mr Wilkinson a hard time for not getting his correct stripes on his uniform recognising being a senior constable.
So when Mr Wilkinson found his vest hanging up in his locker one day with the stripes added, he knew straight away who had done it.
"Except they were not the correct epaulets. He must have just got some Twink out and put them on."
Mr Wilkinson ended by saying he hoped his friend would make a dramatic entrance through the "pearly gates".
"Your entry plan is approved ... Until we meet again, black night, black night [a reference to the armed offenders' squad]."