Northland Age
  • Northland Age home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
  • Opinion
  • Kaitaia weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northland Age

Northland policewoman Gail Shepherd killed in Helena Bay, Northland to be buried in family urupā

RNZ
23 Apr, 2024 07:01 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Police create a guard of honour in memory of Gail Shepherd. Photo/ Michael Cunningham

Police create a guard of honour in memory of Gail Shepherd. Photo/ Michael Cunningham

By RNZ

A Northland police officer who died when she was hit by a car will be laid to rest in her family urupā today.

Senior Constable Gail Shepherd was off-duty and walking a family member’s dogs at Helena Bay, north of Whangārei, on Saturday when a passing car left the road, hit a power pole, and then struck her.

She was 49.

After a full police service and guard of honour at Haven Falls Poutama Tangihanga Funeral Home in Whangārei on Monday morning, whānau members took her to the family home at Te Kao, about 60km north of Kaitāia, and from there to Pōtahi Marae.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Her tangihanga will conclude with a funeral service at the marae starting at 10am.

She will then be interred in the family cemetery, Tūtūmaiao wāhi tapū.

Kaitāia-born Shepherd started her police career in Whangārei in 2007 before taking on a sole-charge position in Kohukohu, where she was responsible for the remote North Hokianga area.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

At the start of this year she took on another sole-charge position in Houhora, New Zealand’s northernmost police station, replacing her brother, Leon “Smiley” Shepherd.

Constable Gail Shepherd as part of a new pedal patrol unit with Whangarei Police, October 2009. Photo /  Chris Rudsdale
Constable Gail Shepherd as part of a new pedal patrol unit with Whangarei Police, October 2009. Photo / Chris Rudsdale

Northland’s newly appointed police District Commander, Superintendent Matt Srhoj, described her as “a very experienced frontline officer” who spent her entire career working in Northland.

“Gail’s death is a huge loss for her family, friends and police colleagues,” Srhoj said.

“She was a much-loved mother, grandmother and friend to so many, and those who had the privilege of knowing her will feel her loss immensely.”

Srhoj said an investigation into the circumstances of the crash was ongoing.

Shepherd was also highly regarded in the Te Tai Tokerau waka community.

Gail Shepherd will be buried at Tūtūmaiao wāhi tapū.
Gail Shepherd will be buried at Tūtūmaiao wāhi tapū.

For almost 10 years she was at the helm of the waka tētē Te Whānau Moana, steering the canoe at events such as the annual Waitangi Day commemorations and guiding young paddlers in kaupapa waka.

Her uncle, Joe Conrad, is the captain of the great waka Ngātokimatawhaorua, and her cousin Miri Conrad is the kaihautu (captain) of Te Whānau Moana.

Conrad said the tragedy had hit the family hard.

She would be greatly missed by her whānau, her police colleagues, and Te Tai Tokerau’s waka community.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Conrad said the dogs survived and had been returned to her cousin’s Helena Bay home. One was reportedly injured but recovering.

Shepherd’s own dogs were being looked after by family.

Shepherd is survived by a daughter, two sons, and a number of grandchildren.

Those making tributes to her in recent days have included Far North Mayor Moko Tepania - who praised her commitment to keeping the people of North Hokianga safe during Cyclone Gabrielle - and Police Minister Mark Mitchell.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northland Age

Northland Age

Blueprint for the future: Kerikeri's new strategic growth plan adopted

26 Jun 01:00 AM
Northland Age

'No benefit': Dentist challenges fluoride use in water debate

25 Jun 06:00 PM
Northland Age

Far North news briefs: NRC rates to increase, build your digital knowledge

25 Jun 05:00 PM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northland Age

Blueprint for the future: Kerikeri's new strategic growth plan adopted

Blueprint for the future: Kerikeri's new strategic growth plan adopted

26 Jun 01:00 AM

The council adopted Te Pātukurea to guide growth in Kerikeri and Waipapa.

'No benefit': Dentist challenges fluoride use in water debate

'No benefit': Dentist challenges fluoride use in water debate

25 Jun 06:00 PM
Far North news briefs: NRC rates to increase, build your digital knowledge

Far North news briefs: NRC rates to increase, build your digital knowledge

25 Jun 05:00 PM
'A sadistic flavour': Paedophile's jail time extended after more predatory offending revealed

'A sadistic flavour': Paedophile's jail time extended after more predatory offending revealed

25 Jun 07:00 AM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northland Age e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to The Northland Age
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northland Age
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP