Fallen colleagues commemorated
South Canterbury police will take a moment today to remember their fallen colleagues.
Police Remembrance Day is held every year on September 29, which is the feast day of the Archangel Michael, patron saint of police.
The day marks the sacrifices of the 32 officers killed on duty, and the 40 officers and employees who have died as result of their duties since 1886.
Serving and former constabulary staff and employees who have died in the past year will also be commemorated.
Timaru police staff will gather at the Timaru Cemetery this morning for a service to mark the occasion.
The ceremony will take place at the grave site of Constable James Dorgan, the only police officer to have been killed in the line of duty in South Canterbury.
Mid-South Canterbury Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said Dorgan’s death was also the only unsolved murder of a police officer in New Zealand.
Dorgan was killed on August 27 1921.
He was found dead outside a Timaru drapery store which he had been watching, believing a robbery was taking place inside.
When police reinforcements arrived, they found Dorgan fatally shot.
The 37 year-old policeman was survived by three children.
Despite a search by the police and wide public co-operation with the investigation, the murderer was never found.
In her first official engagement as Governor General, Dame Patsy Reddy will attend the National Remembrance Day Ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Police College.
Commissioner of Police Mike Bush, the police executive, and members of the Diplomatic Corps will also join police staff, family and friends in paying tribute to the fallen officers.
The first person to die as a result of duty was Senior Constable Henry Porter, 41, who accidentally drowned while doing his night rounds in Port Chalmers on June 21 1887.
Police Remembrance Day will take on added significance this year as three more officers who were killed as a result of criminal actions are formally recognised for the first time.
Plaques commemorating the three past slain officers, Constables James Butler, Louis Hekenui Bidois and Detective Constable Ronald Hill, have been added to the Memorial Wall at the Royal New Zealand Police College.
Election meeting
A candidates meeting will take place in Pareora tonight. Timaru District Council candidates will meet Pareora residents at the Pareora Community Hall on Elworthy St, at 7pm. Mayoral candidate Phil Smith, who lives in Pareora, said he organised the meeting to give those who lived outside Timaru a chance to meet candidates. So far this campaign season, there have been meetings in Timaru and Geraldine. Local government voting closes on October 8.
Water monitoring
Water and waste water is now being better monitored and controlled in Tekapo and Twizel. As part of a five year project, the Mackenzie District Council has started using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software to manage its water and waste water systems in the two towns. Utilities manager Geoff Horler said SCADA was a computer-based control system that allowed operators to monitor and control equipment either locally or remotely. It automated a significant amount of the control process, and stored data that could be used for reporting, or be used to inform maintenance or troubleshoot, he said.
Unspent money
About $6 million budgeted by the Timaru District Council last year was unspent and will be carried into the new financial year. Council chief executive Peter Nixon said the council aimed to spend as conservatively and accurately as possible, but because of the nature and variety of work, there were many reasons why the budget would be carried forward into the existing year. They included extending the life of assets to wait for new technology to do a job cheaply and effectively, or collaborative projects which were still waiting for external parties to complete stages and enable the work to commence, he said. Councillors have already been told some $37 million of capital expenditure projects are planned for this year. In a report, corporate services manager Tina Rogers says that programme, with work carried over, would be a challenge to achieve.
Timaru police notebook:
Incidents in yesterday’s notebook included:
Acting sergeant Paul Alden, of Waimate, said a Waimate man, 23, was arrested on Tuesday at 3.15pm after a warrant was issued for failing to appear in court. He appeared in the Timaru District Court on Wednesday.
A Waimate man, 21, was charged with wilful damage at 3.45 on Tuesday after smashing four door windows at the Waimate Police Station. He was arrested and will appear in the Timaru District Court on October 25.
A Waimate man, 42, was charged with male assaults female as a result of a domestic incident on Tuesday at 10.30am. He will appear in the Timaru District Court on September 30.