Retired Senior Constable Paul Buchanan organised a weekend of events to honour the anniversary of one of the deadliest shootings in New Zealand’s history.
- Officer killed in line of duty remembered
- Paramedic remembers when gunfire started
- More than a tragedy
That included a service in Aramoana today.
The service began with an honour guard formed by AOS members at the memorial for the 13 people killed by gunman David Gray on November 13, 1990.
Tributes were paid by officers, and a minute of silence was held to remember the victims.
Wreaths were also laid at the memorial.
Speaking afterwards, District Commander Superintendent Paul Basham said the service was emotional, but also showed the strength of the police whanau.
He said there were many changes to policing methods as a result of Aramoana, and that was reflected in modern police practices.
He also paid tribute to Mr Buchanan for organising the event.
“This event needed to be organised with a great deal of aroha and a great deal of sensitivity, and you can see today that Paul pulled that off.”
