SHOT DEAD IN HIS OWN POLICE STATION
Sergeant near retirement gunned down in ‘Covid cell’ by suspect on anti-terror scheme – so how WAS weapon missed?
POLICE are facing serious questions after a custody sergeant was shot dead by a suspect known to counterterrorism officers. Matiu Ratana, 54, was about to search the handcuffed suspect in a Covid screening cell when the man produced a revolver that he had stuffed down his trousers.
The 23-year-old somehow managed to fire the gun with his hands behind his back, hitting the veteran officer several times in the heart at point-blank range.
In the ensuing chaos the attacker’s weapon went off again, wounding him, but he remains alive in a critical condition. Sgt Ratana, who was months from retirement, died in hospital.
The police watchdog has launched an investigation into what is thought to be the first fatal shooting of an officer in a police station.
The suspect, who is believed to be of Sri Lankan origin, had been referred to the Prevent scheme that safeguards the vulnerable against violent extremism. He
‘Risk their lives to keep us safe’ ‘How thorough was the search’
POLICE are subject to strict stop and search rules. Officers are permitted to search a suspect only if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect they are carrying illegal drugs, a weapon, stolen property or something that could be used to commit a crime.
An officer can ask a suspect to remove their outer clothing, such as a jacket or gloves, at the roadside.
But more intimate searches can only be conducted out of public view when authorised by a custody sergeant, usually at a police station.
was identified over possible links to Right-wing and Islamic extremism but nothing was found to warrant a counterterrorism investigation.
Described by colleagues and friends as inspirational, New Zealand-born Mr Ratana – known as Matt – was close to the retirement earned by three decades with the Metropolitan Police when he was shot by the suspected extremist at 2.15am yesterday.
The gunman had been stopped a short time earlier after being seen acting suspiciously in Croydon town centre, which led to him being searched by a special constable and two police officers in the early hours. He was arrested for possessing cannabis and ammunition after several bullets were found during a ‘pat down’ search.
Sources said the officers failed to find the small firearm as it had been well concealed and would have been recovered only with an intimate strip search and body cavity check.
Police protocol decrees this cannot be done by the roadside and requires authorisation from a sergeant at a custody centre. The detained man was in a Covid screening cell, which is part of custody procedure during the pandemic, when he launched the attack. It came as Sergeant Ratana opened the cell door to search him with a metal detector.
Officers and paramedics rushed to the officer’s aid after he collapsed in a pool of blood. He later died in hospital.
Last night the suspect, who has not been identified, was in a critical condition in hospital from a gun wound.
Mr Ratana is the first police officer to be shot dead on duty since September 2012 when Dale Cregan killed PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone.
He is the tenth police officer to have been killed in the line of duty in the past decade – the last being Andrew Harper who was dragged to his death trying to stop thieves in Berkshire last August.
Paying tribute to Sgt Ratana last night, Boris Johnson said: ‘My deepest condolences go to the family, friends and colleagues of the police officer who was killed in Croydon last night. We owe a huge debt to those who risk their own lives to keep us safe.’
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘This is a sad day for our country and another terrible reminder of how our police officers put themselves in danger each and every day to keep the rest of us safe.’
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick led police officers across the capital in a minute’s silence at 4pm.
Shocked and tearful colleagues laid flowers throughout the day, with 11 police officers marching toward the custody centre at one point to leave floral tributes with a poem.
Leroy Logan, a former Met superintendent, said there were questions to be answered around the circumstances that led to the shooting.
‘How did that person come to be in the station, whether it’s in the yard or the building itself, and be able to produce a weapon, whether it’s on them at the time?’ he said. ‘It depends on the calibre of the weapon, because obviously if it’s a small weapon and it can be easily in that person’s clothing, then it brings another question on how thoroughly that person was searched.’
There was speculation last night that controversy over stop and search had emboldened criminals to carry weapons. Sources said suspects are ordinarily patted down at the time of arrest and searched at the custody suite reception before a thorough strip search is conducted inside the cell.
Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said officers were sickened by the news: ‘The murder of a colleague on duty is utterly devastating news. Officers across London are in shock and sick to their stomachs at the nature of his death.
‘Officers put themselves in danger every day to protect the public. Sadly, on very rare occasions officers make the ultimate sacrifice whilst fulfilling their role. When that happens we will ensure their bravery and sacrifice is never forgotten.’
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, confirmed police were reviewing the safety of custody suites, adding there ‘could well be changes very soon’.
The number of Met officers suffering serious injuries after being assaulted increased over the first three months of lockdown.
Figures show that 942 police in the capital sustained injuries from being assaulted between March 23 and June 23, compared with 793 over the same months in 2019.
Commissioner Dick last night said Sergeant Ratana was a ‘big guy’ with a ‘big heart’. She added: ‘He was a talented police officer, captain of his recruits’ training class. A lovely man, respected by his colleagues, officers, staff and of course by members of the public, including, I may say, suspects arrested or dealt with in custody.
‘He will be remembered so fondly in Croydon and missed there, as well as in the Met and in the rugby world.
‘I do understand that there is great concern about how this happened, how this could have happened. I want to reassure everyone the facts will be established, we owe that to Matt.’
THE horrific slaying of a defenceless police officer in London is a chilling reminder of the dangers faced by the thin blue line.
That Matiu Ratana fell on duty is a tragedy not just for his family and colleagues, but for the whole nation.
Thankfully, such appalling events are rare. That he was attacked, however, is not. Each day, 85 brave officers are assaulted doing their job.
The sergeant was shot dead inside Croydon police station after a search of the suspect failed to find a gun. Clearly, there has been a catastrophic security breach.
But leave aside the facts of this grotesque killing. Isn’t there also a disturbing societal dimension? Stop-and-search has declined, emboldening criminals to carry weapons. Moreover, officers often shun the tactic for fear of racism claims.
And the increasingly strident anti-police rhetoric, including from Labour MPs after Black Lives Matter protests, risks legitimising violence in twisted minds.
Ministers have vowed to toughen the law for those attacking officers. About time.
We rely on the police to keep us safe. Protecting them is the least we can do.