New Zealand Police Museum

New Zealand Police Museum Te Whare Taonga o ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa is located at the Royal New Zealand Police College Porirua

Established by the Police Commissioner in 1908 the museum was originally modelled on the Black Museum at Scotland Yard. Today the museum collects and exhibits New Zealand Police cultural property and criminal case evidence. The museum provides education programmes to all ages, using examples of policing excellence and telling the stories of some of the countries most famous
cases.

How to wear the uniform.
16/06/2026

How to wear the uniform.

Facial hair has always been a popular addition to the police uniform. Styles have changed over the years, but I don't th...
15/06/2026

Facial hair has always been a popular addition to the police uniform. Styles have changed over the years, but I don't think I've ever seen a more luxurious moustache than the one worn by Sergeant Wohlman, second from left. He would later become the 12th police commissioner, 1930 - 1936.

Today we celebrate the life of Traffic Officer Barry Gibson on the 49th anniversary of his tragic death, while performin...
12/06/2026

Today we celebrate the life of Traffic Officer Barry Gibson on the 49th anniversary of his tragic death, while performing his duty. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues who have suffered his loss. Moe mai rā Barry, you will always be remembered.

Name & rank: Traffic Officer Barry Yorston GIBSON
Traffic Officer number: 1395
Born: 5 June 1945
Years with the Ministry of Transport Traffic Safety Service: five
Died: Manslaughter, assaulted 6 June, died 13 June 1977
Age: 32
Married with two children

Barry’s story:

Barry was born in Patea, and had two sisters and a brother. The Gibson family then lived for a short time in Mosgiel, near Dunedin, followed by a move back north to Naenae, Lower Hutt. There, Barry met the love of his life at primary school; they married when they were both twenty.

Barry was an adventurous soul, leaving school at 16 and “running away to sea”. He was in the merchant navy for five years. The couple then moved to Tokoroa, where Barry worked at the Kinleith Pulp and Paper Mill. While the pay was good Barry decided he would prefer to work in the Traffic Safety Service of the Ministry of Transport (MoT), joining up in 1972. He really enjoyed motorcycle riding and so working as a traffic officer was ideal. By this stage Barry was the proud father of a son and daughter. His first posting was to New Plymouth. His wife said she never worried about his safety generally, but she didn’t like the late-night shifts when the officers worked on their own.

In his leisure time Barry enjoyed a round of golf, and he was good – his handicap was 6. The only time he and his wife argued was over how long it should take to play 18 holes. He was also a keen deerstalker.

Just back from a refresher course with the MoT and having celebrated his 32nd birthday the day before, Barry was working on Queen’s Birthday Monday, doing a late shift in a patrol car. He stopped a car near the Waiwhakaiho River, Taranaki, the driver flung open his car door and knocked Barry over. Before he could get up the motorist beat him viciously around the head, breaking bones and severely concussing him. He was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit at Taranaki Base Hospital where he underwent brain surgery. For the most part he remained unconscious, dying seven days after the unprovoked attack. His children were eight and ten when he was taken from them.

The offender stated he was having domestic troubles, and this was the cause of his violence. Barry had had an altercation with this man a few months earlier when he had smashed his radar unit and threatened to kill him. He was detained but there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him on that occasion.

After Barry’s death, the offender was charged and convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison.

Treats?
12/06/2026

Treats?

10/06/2026

NZ Civil Defence are testing the Emergency Mobile Alert (EMA) system on Sunday 14 June, between 6-7pm ⚠️📲

If you have a hidden second phone for your safety, we recommend turning it off or putting it in flight mode for the duration of the test (6-7pm on Sunday 14 June) to ensure it’s not discovered when the nationwide Emergency Mobile Alert is sent.

Some mobile devices set to silent mode will still emit a sound when the Emergency Mobile Alert test is sent, so switching to flight mode or turning off your device is the only way to avoid the loud sound of the alert.

You can find more information about the Emergency Mobile Alert system, including a factsheet and list of FAQs at 🚨 https://getready.govt.nz/en/prepared/ema

Mounted constables Griffin and Clung in front of the Central Christchurch Police Station cells, 1927.
10/06/2026

Mounted constables Griffin and Clung in front of the Central Christchurch Police Station cells, 1927.

Police Dog Bear (6) and his handler Senior Constable Trevor Bolt returned with a gold medal from the Australian and New ...
05/06/2026

Police Dog Bear (6) and his handler Senior Constable Trevor Bolt returned with a gold medal from the Australian and New Zealand police dop champs in 1994. The winning team, also the New Zealand Police National Champions that year, had been working together for five years. Minister of Police John Banks was happy to congratulate them 🥇👮🐕

Constables Gerritje Mellors W250 and Marilyn McMurtrie W362 💙
03/06/2026

Constables Gerritje Mellors W250 and Marilyn McMurtrie W362 💙

The Police Commissioner's Chrysler Windsor and his driver Constable Ian Palmer.The purchase of a fleet of Chevrolet seda...
01/06/2026

The Police Commissioner's Chrysler Windsor and his driver Constable Ian Palmer.

The purchase of a fleet of Chevrolet sedans in 1938 saw the introduction of the police patrol system. The original patrol cars were painted black, without any police insignia, siren or radios. One-way radio communications from station to patrol car were installed in 1940, and two years later a two-way system was introduced. Such names as Chrysler, Plymouth, Ford, Humber, Wolseley and Vauxhall graced the police fleet until the move to General Motors Holden in the late 1950s. Thanks to Barry Thomson for the research.

Commissioner Richard Chambers has congratulated two members of Police who are today recognised with royal honours.Inspec...
31/05/2026

Commissioner Richard Chambers has congratulated two members of Police who are today recognised with royal honours.

Inspectors Ross Grantham (Central District) has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) and Neru (Nu) Leifi (Canterbury District) a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).

Ross has been honoured for services to New Zealand Police and Nu has been honoured for services to New Zealand Police and the community.

Commissioner Chambers says these awards are well-deserved recognition for their decades of Police service and deep connections made in their communities.

Read more here - www.police.govt.nz/news/release/stalwarts-service-honoured

Address

24 Papakowhai Road, Papakōwhai
Porirua
5024

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+6442383141

Website

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