Met Police to Hold Special Memorial for Sergeant Matt Ratana One Year After Tragic Murder
One Year On: Remembering a Fallen Hero
A year after Sergeant Matt Ratana was brutally shot dead, the Metropolitan Police Service is finally set to hold a special memorial service this November. Dame Cressida Dick, the Met Commissioner, confirmed the event will replace the full-force funeral that was cancelled due to COVID restrictions.
The Day It Happened
On 25 September 2020, Sergeant Ratana, 54, was on duty at the Met’s Custody Centre in Croydon when he was fatally shot. A man has since been charged with his murder. The nation and police community remember him as a dedicated officer who lost his life serving the public.
Honouring Sergeant Ratana
This year, on the exact anniversary, Met officers and staff will pause for a minute’s silence at 11am to honour his memory. Dame Cressida Dick and Senior Chaplain Jonathan Osbourne will also attend National Police Memorial Day in Lincoln on Sunday, paying tribute to Sergeant Ratana and other officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.
“Matt has very much been in our thoughts over the last year, as we grieve for him, but also as we celebrate his life. His legacy lives on with his family, friends from the Met, rugby, and beyond.” – Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick
“When Matt was killed, COVID-19 meant the Met was not able to mark his loss with a force funeral the way we wished. I said then that when restrictions lifted, we would hold a full memorial service to come together in Matt’s memory.”
“For many, this anniversary and National Police Memorial Day will be a time of sadness and reflection. We will never forget our fallen colleagues and will honour them forever.”
