Funeral Service For Porirua Police Officer On Wednesday
New Zealand Police National News Release
11:00am 14 July 2008
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=4121

A full police funeral will be held for Sergeant Derek Wootton who was killed while working night shift last Friday in Titahi Bay.

The funeral for Sergeant Wootton, aged 52, will be held at 1.30pm on Wednesday, at the Royal New Zealand Police College, Papakowhai Road, Porirua.

The service is expected to be attended by hundreds of Derek's family, friends, work colleagues and community representatives. Commissioner Howard Broad, other senior police commanders including representatives from Australia, will also be present.

The service starts promptly at 1.30pm in the gymnasium and includes eulogies from Commissioner Broad, fellow colleagues at Porirua Police and Derek's family.

Police dogs, a piper, and haka along with a police Honour Guard will feature at the conclusion of the service as Sergeant Wootton's casket is carried by his section members to the hearse.

There is limited parking available at the college. People attending the service can park in nearby Aotea College where shuttle vans will be running to the RNZPC.

Inspector John Spence, Kapiti Mana Area Police Commander, sincerely thanks members of the public for the tributes which have continued to flow into the station and to Derek's family over the weekend.

"The messages and practical offers of support have helped us all enormously," he said.

Contingency planning is in place for policing to continue in Porirua and Kapiti on Wednesday while the service is taking place. "At times like this police across the Wellington District help one another. We'll certainly have police patrols on the road and staff in the Communications Centre so that colleagues of both Derek and his partner Bronnie can pay their respects at Derek's funeral."

ENDS

© Scoop Media