It has been 11 years since a New Zealand police officer was last killed at work.
Thirty-two officers have previously lost their lives fighting crime in the history of the police and all but 10 of them were gunned down.
In Hawke's Bay May 2009, Senior Constable Len Snee was shot dead during a routine search warrant at the home of Jan Molenaar in Napier.
For the next 51 hours after killing Snee, Molenaar used an arsenal of weapons - including high powered military-style rifles to shoot at police and the public.
Molenaar then took his own life, bringing an end to the stand off.
In September 2008 an undercover drug operation in south Auckland ended in tragedy for the family of Sergeant Don Wilkinson.
The 46-year-old died after being shot three times, his partner was shot four times but survived.
In July 2008, Sergeant Derek Wootton was killed near Porirua.
He was laying road spikes and was run down by a member of the Mongrel Mob.
Four officers were killed in the 1990's, including Mangakino cop Murray Stretch who was murdered outside a local dairy.
In 1990, David Gray went on a shooting spree in Aramoana near Dunedin. Sergeant Stewart Guthrie was the sole duty officer at the nearby Port Chalmers Police Station and was the first to respond.
He was shot dead by Gray along with 11 other members of the public.
The deadliest day for New Zealand Police was in October 1941. Four officers were shot near Hokitika while trying to apprehend Stanley Graham.
Friday's death will be the 33rd name added to the list of officers killed while carrying out their duties.
