Graham Bell, the straight-talking veteran police officer who became a household name as the host of Police Ten 7, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 78.
His family confirmed the news in a statement, who said he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones yesterday.
Bell served 33 years in the New Zealand Police, rising to the rank of Detective Inspector and leading some of the country's most high-profile criminal investigations. His work earned him the Queen's Service Medal in 2001 for his contribution to policing and criminal investigations.
But it was his second career as the face of Police Ten 7 that cemented his place in the public consciousness.
'Gutless goons' to 'a lunatic scumbag' - Renowned cop Graham Bell remembered - see more on TVNZ+
For more than a decade, Bell beamed into homes nationwide, calling on viewers to help with police investigations and help track down individuals responsible.
He quickly became known for his sharp tongue and quirky turns of phrase, describing offenders with terms like "gutless goons", "morons", "bozos", and "a lunatic scumbag with a steak knife".
Producers said none of it was scripted and that it was all Bell — driven by a deep passion for justice and supporting victims.
Before his television fame, Bell led investigations into some of New Zealand’s most harrowing crimes.
In 1998, he headed a team of 60 officers probing the violent home invasion and murder of Reporoa woman Beverly Bouma — one of 19 murder cases he oversaw during his career.
A year later, he faced one of his most difficult moments as a police officer when a colleague, Constable Murray Stretch, was brutally beaten and kicked to death while investigating a burglary.
"It adds a whole new dimension to something when you go to a murder, and the person that's lying there is known to you," he said at the time.
"You can't bring people back to life, but you can certainly make those that carry out criminal acts pay for them."
Bell retired from the police in 2001 but continued to serve the public through his work on Police Ten 7, which he hosted until 2014.
"If I was asked if I would do it all again,” he once said, "I would say definitely. I’ve really enjoyed being a cop."
His family remembered him as a "beloved husband, father, grandfather, and respected former Detective Inspector and host of Police Ten 7".
"He leaves behind his devoted wife of 57 years, Joyce, his children David, Megan, and Chrissy, their partners Shar, Dobbo, and Morne, and his adored grandchildren Tom, Ruby, Scarlett, Ollie, Jack, and Bella.
"The family appreciates the support and condolences received, and respectfully asks for privacy at this time."
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