Fallen officers and staff honoured at Ceremony of Remembrance

The annual event, held at the MPS’s Hendon Training School on Thursday (June 29), saw families and friends join officers and staff to reflect and to remember those who are no longer with us but whose contribution to policing London will never be forgotten.

Addressing the service, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “Every day in policing we make a real difference to Londoners’ lives and community’s experiences, but we operate where society fractures, where there is often risk and danger.

“Tragically, however hard we try with training, equipment, courage and teamwork, we can’t remove every element of that danger. We often pretend it isn’t there or talk humbly about achievements but it is important today that we pause and reflect.

“There is no greater loss than that of a loved one, a friend, a colleague. In remembering the courage of those we lost, we can truly recognise what it takes and what it means to be a police officer.”

The Commissioner reflected on the significance of the occasion, coming just a week after he stood with the partner of Sergeant Matt Ratana, a hugely respected police officer who served for almost 30 years before he was shot and killed on duty in Croydon in September 2020.

Louis De Zoysa, 25, was convicted of Sgt’s Ratana’s murder on June 23.

Speaking outside court following the verdict, he said: “This tragedy has caused me to reflect on the uncertain world within which police officers operate and the risks they face day by day.

“Officers never have a perfect picture of what awaits them at the next incident. The men and women in policing, daily stepping forward into uncertainty and risk, are truly remarkable.”

The Commissioner remembered too the murder of PC Keith Palmer who was killed defending Parliament from a terrorist attack in 2017, PC Daniel Golding who lost his life in a motorcycle collision in 2022, as well as all those whose names have been entered in the Book of Remembrance through the years.

He added: “Behind each loss recorded there is so much more than a name. I know each and every one of these people was unique, with a life, full of stories and experiences, friends and families.

“They paid the ultimate sacrifice, giving their life in the course of their duties and the spirit of policing.

“They live on in our hearts and minds, much loved and much missed by families and colleagues. Their example and legacy gives strength to officers and makes them proud to wear the uniform today.”

The Commissioner was joined at the ceremony by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who met with families and shared his own reflections on the contribution of those who had lost their lives in the service of London and Londoners.

The mayor said: “This service was truly humbling and it was a privilege to meet the families of police officers and staff who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“They are heroes and my thoughts and prayers remain with their loved ones and colleagues who I know continue to be inspired by the way they lived and worked.

“Their courage and sacrifice demonstrates the very best of the Met as they ran towards danger and worked around the clock to keep us safe. As Londoners, we all owe them a huge debt of gratitude.”