Prince William Lays Flowers in Honor of British Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty People 1 hr ago
Prince William is honoring those who ve fallen in the line of duty.
The Duke of Cambridge, 38, visited a Metropolitan Police custody center in Croydon, South London, on Wednesday to pay his respects to Sergeant Matt Ratana, who was tragically shot while preparing to search a handcuffed suspect in September 2020.
Ratana, who served in the police for 30 years after moving to the U.K. from New Zealand in 1989, later died from a fatal wound to the chest.
An unnamed 23-year-old was arrested on suspicion of his murder on November 13.
The Duke of Cambridge visits Croydon Custody Centre
News • May 12, 2021 13:10 BST
[The Commissioner greets The Duke of Cambridge]
His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge visited the Met’s Croydon Custody Centre today (Wednesday, 12 May) to pay his respects to Sergeant Matt Ratana, who was tragically shot and killed while on duty in September 2020.
During his visit, The Duke was welcomed by Commissioner Cressida Dick and introduced to Matt’s partner and some of his closest friends and colleagues.
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, The Duke also met some of the staff and officers working to provide mental health support to colleagues across the Metropolitan Police Service. Initiatives such as Operation Hampshire look to provide support to Met officers who have been assaulted or injured during the course of their duties. Likewise, across the Met, some 1,200 Blue Light Champions work to break down the stigma of mental health, offe
Officers from the Met Police’s south-west team have found an innovative way to release stress. The OCSAE (Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation) unit are receiving visits from Police Dog Dexter, the Met’s first welfare dog. Dexter first came to the offices on Tuesday (Feb 9). The OCSAE team view evidential images related to child exploitation, including indecent images of children. Crimes investigated fall across the boroughs of Wandsworth, Merton, Kingston and Richmond. Due to the extreme nature of the material they see, viewing thousands of images every week, the job can take a toll. Dexter provided some much-needed rest and affection for those carrying out difficult jobs.