On September 29 each year New Zealand Police commemorates Police Remembrance Day, when we honour and remember colleagues now lost to us.
This date is the feast day of the Archangel Michael, patron saint of police.
Each year a national service is held to honour our police colleagues in New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific, who have been killed by criminal acts while performing their official duties or died as a result of their duties.
We also acknowledge serving, retired and former New Zealand Police staff who have passed away in the preceding 12 months.
Commissioner Andrew Coster will attend the service today along with the Governor-General Her Excellency the Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro and the Minister of Police the Hon Ginny Andersen.
Police officers killed by criminal acts while performing their official duties will be remembered in the New Zealand Police Roll of Honour read out as part of the commemoration as we remember and acknowledge their ultimate sacrifice.
The national Remembrance Day service held at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC) will be livestreamed on the Police website, the New Zealand Police Facebook page and shared on the New Zealand Police Museum Facebook page from 11am on Friday September 29.
The livestreaming will be recorded and will remain on the Facebook pages and website to watch after the service.
On Police Remembrance Day and the week leading up to it, Police staff throughout New Zealand wear the huia pin which was developed by the Police Association and New Zealand Police.
The tail plumage of the huia bird – now lost to us – is something rare and special and to wear it is considered by Māori to be a great honour.
By incorporating the Police chevron into the huia tail feather, the design of the pin symbolises the honouring of someone special, now lost to police.
1 comment
No disrespect intended.
Posted on 29-09-2023 13:07 | By morepork
But how could they choose a white feather, an international symbol of cowardice since Victorian times, as a symbol for people who heroically laid down their lives in the line of duty, and for the protection of our communities? The now extinct huia was a BLACK bird with a white tipped tail feather. By all means, use it as a symbol of honour, but get it right. This is a seriously flawed design that does no credit to the heroes it represents. The chevrons could be in a contrasting colour (maybe sky blue?) against a black body of the feather, with a white tip. I was shocked and surprised when I saw this.
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