Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming didn’t like the limelight, but yesterday more than 1200 people packed into Nelson’s Trafalgar Centre to say farewell.

Police staff from across the country and further afield gathered alongside Lyn’s family, friends and members of countless government and community organisations and groups and, of course, Lyn’s beloved netball community.

Attendees included Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Police Minister Mark Mitchell and Associate Ministers Casey Costello and Nicole McKee.

There were senior officers from every Australian police jurisdiction, including four Commissioners and deputy and assistant commissioners. There were representatives of US law enforcement, and messages of condolence from Canada, the UK, the Pacific Islands and Europol.

Lyn died after being struck by a vehicle early on New Year’s Day, in an incident which also seriously injured her colleague Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay.

It was clear she had touched the lives of so many people and left a strong and far-reaching legacy.

Commissioner Richard Chambers told the gathering that after her 38 years and seven months’ service, Lyn’s personal file was “big and full of goodness - letters of thanks from members of the community, families, children, for what she did for them in their time of need”.

Her strength of character was highlighted by the fact she brought along snacks for her team on her final shift on New Year’s Eve to get them through the long night ahead.

He outlined Lyn’s policing career, starting in 1986 as a traffic officer in Auckland, before joining Police in 1992 alongside her husband Bryn when the organisations merged, and soon moving to Nelson.

Lyn spent 32 years on the frontline in Nelson, moving up the ranks and spending the last seven years as Nelson Bays Area Response Manager, in which role she led a team of high-performing sergeants and constables on the front line.

“Lyn was an officer highly respected by her peers, her staff, and her bosses,” said Commissioner Chambers, who worked with her when he was Tasman District Commander.

Her supervisors’ comments throughout her career showed she had the highest levels of integrity and professionalism, he said - a leader who inspired confidence and cared deeply about her team.

“Lyn was a beautiful soul, she was an outstanding police officer and a leader, and someone that all New Zealanders can be very proud of.”

He thanked all New Zealanders, particularly Nelsonians “for the incredible love and support that has been shown at this tragic time. This love and support helps give us strength to carry on.”

Tasman District Commander Superintendent Tracey Thompson said Lyn was a caring, strong, calm, humble and devoted human being.

“She was also fiercely loyal - with an immeasurable sense of duty to the New Zealand Police, her staff, and our communities.

“These words describe the qualities of an outstanding human being. Also, the attributes of an outstanding Police officer and leader. In these qualities Lyn has left a legacy for us all.”

Tracey said many people had shared stories with her of Lyn’s caring and kind nature.

“I have lost count of how many times I heard the phrase ‘because of Lyn’.

“Because of Lyn you learnt how to do your job well. Because of Lyn you joined Police. Because of Lyn you stayed in Police. Because of Lyn you wanted to be a leader in Police.”

The final Police tribute came from a friend and long-time colleague, former Inspector Dave Gibson, who described Lyn as station matron, mother figure and oracle.

“She was a very quiet person but when she spoke it screamed volumes and it was absolutely worth listening to.”

She wouldn’t have wanted such a big fuss, he said, but would have appreciated the love and support shown to her family by the community.

Celebrant Diane Strong also commented on Lyn’s humility – she never put herself at the front, just on the front line.

Alongside Bryn in the audience were family members including Lyn’s parents Ray and Colleen, children Aren and Rayna Olsen, and her siblings.

Aren and Rayna were the first to pay tribute, speaking of the privilege it was to call Lyn their mum.

Aren told those gathered that words were not enough to convey the grief, pain and sorrow they felt at losing Lyn or to portray her character and strength.

He said there is power in words but there is also power in actions - and through these actions everyone can truly honour her.

"By following her example as a parent, as a police officer, coach, a mentor, a member of the community.

“By being the person she inspired us all to be, we can leave this world a better place than we found it.”

Tributes also came from Lyn’s brother Mike ‘Woody’ Fleming, who thanked Lyn’s colleagues and other emergency services who fought to save her, and the Police family liaison officer who had supported the family since the tragedy.

He said growing up he idolised Lyn, his older sister and protector.

Jon Routhan, from Nelson College for Girls, spoke of Lyn’s love of and commitment to netball at the school for the last decade and within the Nelson community for the past 30 years.

He said she used netball as a vehicle to teach the girls life skills - and countless players and parents had reached out since her death to share the immense influence Lyn had on their lives.

As well as those at the Trafalgar Centre, people gathered at Nelson Cathedral to watch the service on screens. They were among more than 20,000 people who watched the livestream, and by this morning nearly a million people had viewed the saved livestream video.

At the end of the service, Lyn and her mourners were led into the Nelson sunshine by a piper playing Flowers of the Forest.

The flag draping her coffin was carefully folded and presented to her family by Commissioner Chambers as hundreds of Police and fire service staff lined the road in a guard of honour for her final journey.

Police staff performed a heartfelt haka – the Police haka Ko Te Uru Pounamu, which speaks of harmony between Police and public as the key to safer communities.

It was a fitting farewell to someone who did so much for so many people, and leaves an enduring legacy and example for us all to follow.

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