In the line of duty: The NZ police officers killed on the front line

A police officer shot and killed in Massey, west Auckland, today is the 33rd police officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Two officers were shot in Massey and member of the public was hit and injured by a vehicle after police performed a routine traffic stop on Reynella Drive in Massey.

It has been 11 years since a police officer was killed in the line of duty in New Zealand.

Police Minister Stuart Nash today revealed since 1890, 22 officers have been shot and killed on duty.

Since 2002, 15 officers have been wounded by firearms.

Nash said Friday's death is the news police can get when going to work every day.

"We want all our police officers to get home safely at the end of every working day. This is a tragic day for our police family.

"This is a shocking situation. It is the worst news that police and police officers family can get."

The last officer to be killed was Senior Constable Len Snee who was shot on May 7, 2009, in Napier.

Len Snee was fatally wounded on May 7, 20097 while carrying out a routine search warrant at the home of Jan Molenaar in Napier.

Snee was fatally wounded while carrying out a routine search warrant at the home of Jan Molenaar in Napier.

Two other police officers and a member of the public were also shot and seriously wounded by Molenaar. The member of the public tried to intervene to protect the officers.

A stand-off ensued, which lasted for 51 hours. During this time Molenaar used an arsenal of weapons, mostly high powered military-style rifles and shotguns, to shoot at police and the public.

Molenaar died from a single gunshot wound to the head that the Coroner confirmed appeared to be self-inflicted.

A police officer shot and killed in Massey, West Auckland, on Friday is the 33rd police officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Today's fatal shooting was the fifth officer killed in the line of duty since the turn of the century.

In 2008, Sergeant Don Wilkinson was fatally shot while carrying out undercover duties in Mangere.

He was one of two plainclothes officers shot while trying to install a tracking device on a vehicle outside a suspect P lab.

Earlier in the same year, Sergeant Derek Wootton was working a night shift in Titahi Bay when a report was received of an alleged serious assault and carjacking.

Wootton laid road spikes in a suburb street but was tragically struck as the vehicle went over the spikes. He died at the scene.

First recorded police officer killed in line of duty

The earliest recorded police death dates back to Constable Neil McLeod who died on July 30, 1890, in Dargaville.

At Mangawhare Wharf near Dargaville, Henry Funcke was removed from a passenger steamer after his rifle was taken from him.

In a fit of rage, he then pulled out a hidden pistol and fired at the departing ship, striking Constable McLeod, who was travelling to Auckland with his family.

Funcke was later acquitted on the grounds of insanity.

Sixty-two police officers and staff have also died as a direct result of duty, including in the dead Christchurch earthquake of 2011, drownings, car crashes and plane crashes.

Officers killed by criminal act*

Senior Constable Len Snee - May 7, 2009
Sergeant Don Wilkinson - September 11, 2008
Sergeant Derek Wootton - July 11, 2008
Detective Constable Duncan Taylor - July 5, 2002
Constable Lester Murray Stretch - May 26, 1999
Constable Glenn Arthur McKibbin - April 21, 1996
Sergeant Stewart Graeme Guthrie - November 13, 1990
Senior Constable Peter Morris Umbers - May 27, 1990
Traffic Officer Robin James Dudding - April 7, 1986
Traffic Officer Barry Yorston Gibson - June 13, 1977
Constable Peter William Murphy - September 25, 1976
Sergeant Gilbert Peter Arcus - February 4, 1970
Detective Constable Ronald Bernard (Bernie) Hill - May 5, 1969
Constable Donald Richard Stokes - August 15, 1966
Constable James Thomas Richardson - February 3, 1963
Constable Bryan Leslie Schultz - February 3, 1963
Detective Sergeant Neville Wilson Power - January 6, 1963
Detective Inspector Wallace Chalmers - January 6, 1963
Constable Louis Hekenui (Heke) Bidois - May 24, 1955
Sergeant William Shore Hughes - May 27, 1951
Traffic Officer John Kehoe - January 31, 1949
Constable Edward Mark Best - October 11, 1941
Constable Percy Campbell Tulloch - October 8, 1941
Constable Frederick William Jordan - October 8, 1941
Sergeant William Cooper - October 8, 1941
Constable James Butler - January 2, 1938
Constable Thomas Heeps - October 21, 1934
Constable James Dorgan - August 27, 1921
Constable Vivian Dudding - October 6, 1919
Constable John Doyle - February 6, 1913
Sergeant John Patrick Hackett McGuire - April 14, 1910
Constable Neil McLeod - July 30, 1890

* Not including the officer fatally shot today