Peter Morris Umbers, GM

Peter Umbers spent his early years in Alexandra, where he attended primary school. In 1965, he moved with his parents and siblings to Napier and later to Hamilton. After completing his Police training at Trentham, Peter was briefly stationed at Porirua. He then completed a term as one of two staff at Ranfurly Police Station. In 1982 he moved to Granity on the West Coast, and then took a posting at Palmerston before returning to the small, Maniototo town of Ranfurly in 1985 as sole charge constable. He remained at Ranfurly until the tragic events of 27 May 1990. Peter Umbers was described by those that knew him as a friendly, approachable person who loved the country life, and did not have a nasty bone in his body. He was involved with the Maniototo Pony Club, and won several ribbons showing his own Appaloosa horse. He was also a foundation member of the Ranfurly-Naseby Pistol Club. Peter was a crack shot with a pistol, and competed in the 1988 Police Olympics in Melbourne. Peter Umbers was married to Sue, and the couple had two daughters, Paula and Erin. On 27 May 1990, there was an armed robbery at the Poolburn Hotel near Ranfurly. The offender woke the hotel owners from their sleep, ripped out most of the hotel’s telephones to prevent the Police being called, and escaped with only $380. The hotel owners contacted the Police using a phone in their bedroom that the offender had missed. Constable Umbers was at home when he was called out just after midnight. Constable Umbers drove out of Ranfurly. At 00:16 he advised Dunedin control that he was stopping a Toyota Hilux truck, believed to have been used in the robbery, on the Wedderburn straight, 5km outside Ranfurly. “Ranfurly to Ops, a 3T, registration OL5702, white Toyota Hilux flat deck.” After that, there was silence. When nothing further was heard from Constable Umbers, Police and ambulance crews were dispatched to the area. They found Constable Umbers dead beside his vehicle. The red and blue lights on his Police car were still flashing. It was clear that a violent struggle had taken place, and that Constable Umbers’ .38 revolver and PR24 baton had been taken from him during the fight. Umbers’ injuries were so severe that at first it was thought he had been shot. However, it was later established that Umbers had suffered extensive head injuries from blows inflicted by a blunt object. Constable Umbers had been beaten to death with his PR24 baton. The baton had broken with the force of the blows. The hunt for the offender began. Police investigations were complicated by freezing weather, with several officers needing to borrow coats from the nearby Ranfurly Fire Station. Eventually the Toyota Hilux truck was spotted heading towards Central Otago over the Lindis Pass. Police gave chase, and the offender stopped and exited the car with a rifle in his hands. He was arrested by Police, who discovered several firearms in the car, including Peter Umbers’ Police issue revolver. The offender was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment for Constable Umbers’ murder. He was 19 years old. Police and the local community were shocked and devastated by the popular Police officer’s murder. His funeral was held in the Ranfurly Sports Stadium as no church in town was large enough to accommodate the number of mourners wishing to attend. Constable Peter Umbers was survived by his widow, Sue, and the couple’s two daughters, then aged 8 and 10. He was posthumously awarded the George Medal for his courageous actions. Source: https://www.facebook.com/NewZealandPoliceMuseum/posts/today-we-mour...

In Ranfurly, Central Otago, Peter Umbers was bashed with his own PR24 baton when he stopped Richard Thomas Lakich, a robbery suspect. Lakich pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. For his bravery in the execution of his duty, Senior Constable Umbers was posthumously awarded the George Medal. Source: https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/history-and-museum/memorial/off...