A memorial service has been held in Flaxmere to mark the 20th anniversary of the shooting of Constable Glenn McKibbin while on duty.
More than 50 police officers, family and friends gathered at the Flaxmere Police Station this morning, to remember the officer, known in the force as 'Goblin'.
The 25 year old officer was shot on this day in 1996, while doing a route traffic stop in Flaxmere.
He was shot multiple times by Mongrel Mob member Terence Thompson, who became the subject of a nine-week AOS hunt.
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Advertise with NZME.Thompson was eventually shot dead by police during a stand-off in an orchard in Havelock North.
Inspector Mike O'Leary, who was on duty that day as an acting Senior Sergeant, said the shooting had an immense impact on them.
He said police had to grow up from that day, because it was the first time one of their colleagues had been shot while on duty.
Inspector O'Leary said it's a reminder to all their staff that a random act by a sad, mad and bad individual is always possible. They can mitigate a lot of risks, but he says something like that, they can't.
He said Goblin was 25 years old and had his whole career ahead of him, but he was cut down for simply being in the wrong place, at the wrong time by someone obsessed with firearms and the Mongrel Mob.
Inspector Mike O'Leary said Glenn was known as 'Goblin' because he was vertically challenge and a mischief. But he was also very dedicated and tenacious, and was living his dream of becoming a police officer - something he wanted since he was 11 years old.
