July 12, 2008...11:18 am

Flag at Porirua police station not at half mast despite local officer’s death in the line of duty

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Very surprising, and somewhat sad to observe, when parking outside the Porirua police station this morning, that the flag on the pole by the front door was not flying at half mast.

When something as awful happens as the death of a police officer in the line of duty, I would have thought his own police station would fly its flag at half mast.

Sergeant Derek Wootton, who was run down and killed in nearby Titahi Bay at 3am yesterday, was based at Porirua police station.

Maybe it was just an oversight, but a bad one. Apparently the flag was at half-mast yesterday, but the death of a police officer is worth much more than being marked for just one day.

  • Update 3.15pm Saturday:The 3pm Radio NZ news said “a wall of flowers” had appeared in front of the police station, put there by locals. There were no flowers when I was there at 10am but it is very good to hear this has happened since.

8 Comments

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8 Comments

  • Anita
    July 12, 2008 at 11:54 am

    Weird, this morning’s DomPost has a photo of the flag at half mast at the Porirua station, so it must’ve been half mast yesterday.

  • Gabriel Pollard
    July 12, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    I checked the flags at the Christchurch headquarters yesterday and despite having two flag poles, neither of them had flags attached even though in past times they have had New Zealand flags displayed.

  • Lew
    July 12, 2008 at 1:01 pm

    For what it’s worth, an officer walked out onto the roof of the Wellington Central Police Station on Victoria Street and lowered the flag to half-mast mid-morning yesterday, and it remains so.

    L

  • Gardy
    July 12, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    Poneke – The half mast was done on the day of Sgt Wootons passing. At sunset that day the flag is taken to the top of the pole and then lowered. The flag will also be at half mast on the day of his funeral.

  • rayinnz
    July 13, 2008 at 10:49 am

    There are quite specific rules about when the NZ flag may be flown at half mast
    It is not just a radom thing especially when from a government building

  • Graeme
    July 13, 2008 at 11:59 pm

    Flags on government buildings should be flown at half-mast when directed by the Chief Executive of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

    For both government and public buildings, flags should be flown at half-mast during times of mourning for the following people and according to the following procedures:
    The Sovereign

    * From the announcement of death up to and including the day of the funeral (except on Proclamation Day, the day when the new sovereign is announced officially, when flags are to be flown from the top of the mast).

    The Governor-General, former Governors-General, the Prime Minister, and former Prime Ministers.

    * On the announcement of death and the day of the funeral

    Members of The Royal Family

    * On the day of the funeral subject to special command from The Queen or the Governor-General.

    Commonwealth Governors-General, Commonwealth Prime Ministers in office, Foreign and Commonwealth Heads of State

    * On the day of the funeral only.

    When local authorities wish to fly their local authority flag at half-mast, as a sign of mourning following the death of a prominent local citizen, it is appropriate to do so on either the day or part of the day of the funeral. The same etiquette applies to the house flag of a company or organisation. In these cases the New Zealand Flag should remain at full mast.

    http://www.mch.govt.nz/nzflag/flying.html

  • Craig Ranapia
    July 16, 2008 at 10:40 am

    Thanks, Graeme. And sorry for breaking the no-politics rule, but I think this is a bouquet worth handing out: Nice to see that the ususal suspect didn’t use Sergeant Wootton’s death as an occasion for the usual ‘law and order’ posturing. At least, not that I noticed.

  • Kerry
    July 27, 2008 at 5:43 pm

    I was there that Saturday morning, didnt see you David. There were plenty of flowers and cards in the foyer and lots of tributes upstairs in the staff room. They were inundated with food and good wishes from people. Was nice to see.

    The flag was at hald mast the day Derek was killed.

    [Poneke adds: I was at the market, which closes at 10am. Parked in the police station carpark. Didn't see you either Kerry. Not sure of the point.]


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