Londoner by birth & by choice. Serving the best city in the world. Cerebral. Hybrid. Honest conversations. Views my own, RTs NOT endorsing. 🇬🇧 🇯🇲 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
Covering
#SgtMattRatana
today. He’d have been day shift with us. I was gonna repay him for breakfast he got me last week... after he tackled me in the suite and said “Come on XL, bring it in, you need a custody cuddle!” ☺️
Please don’t forget about Matt’s permanent team at Croydon, the responding officers, the radio dispatchers, the paramedics, everyone who came together that night... for
#SgtMattRatana
“A shit day only lasts 24 hours”
The last thing my friend told me. I called him for a lift in spirit after a tough day we shared in custody. People who know me know I don’t reach out to people like that. But he was counsel to me. Someone I’d trust with my life. Many of us would.
Plenty of abuse from public & twitter for patrolling and
- Having an iced tea on duty
- Doing too much to look after a juvenile
- Robustly dispersing a drunk crowd
- Preserving life
- Apparently not giving two hoots
- Being a black officer
- Not being black enough
Still proud.
On aid and I turn into a side street up town to see cops on foot patrol. One looks remarkably like the Commissioner?!
“Ah Mr XL!” She says. 😁
The boss was patrolling with local DWOs. No fanfare, no audience, just coppering. Frontline and with her people, to the very end. 👏👮🏻
I got asked what the clip on my radio was for. It blocks door locks. Great for times when units are coming to help you in the tower block or you need to mark an address discreetly. Lifesaver.
READ THIS: One of our finest from
@MPSSouthwark
. “PC Mitch Howton spent 23 minutes performing CPR on Rui Andrade when he collapsed from a heart attack in June.
Mr Andrade says he owes PC Howton his life and that they are now "very good friends".
We definitely made a difference yesterday.
But the abuse I received for being a black officer arresting a black man was pretty exhausting. Nobody seemed interested in the offence itself.
Obnoxious Male won’t leave police station.
Directed away by me. Calls me an orangutang. Bad idea.
Not only my first arrest as custody officer but possibly the only time I’ll ever get custody number ONE. 👌🏽
Sadly not the first time I’ve been racially abused, nor the last.
Three commercial units underneath the railway arches are completely alight and four cars and a telephone box are also alight near
#ElephantandCastle
Railway Station. Road closures are in place and people are advised to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed
I forgot to share this. Balance is important.
A young black man was in custody with us last night... He said it was nice to see fellow black man in uniform and such a position as mine (desk skipper).
Polar opposite from the usual abuse I get.
Public order today. Bit of exercise first to clear the head and get into gear. Got to work out what to say to the troops.
We still have a job to go out and do.
This is Liv. We lost Liv this week to her battle with depression, anorexia and anxiety.
Liv, we miss your as much as your darling boy does. You will forever be in my heart as a kind woman who took a brave step in being the change she wanted to see in the world. God bless you.
Emailed the Commissioner. Just a one-liner to say thanks, in the hope that she feels part of the family right now.
We’re all human after all. I feel her messaging has been spot on for
#SgtMattRatana
Today was the
@metpoliceuk
annual service of remembrance for our colleagues, who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Please spare a thought for friends and families of those gone before us.
We don’t have badge numbers. We have warrant numbers.
We don’t always need a warrant from a magistrate to enter a property.
We can detain, search, even arrest if we suspect that you are, have, maybe have or are about to be committing a crime.
“A company of men and women, knowing their core duty. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t. An officer, black and blue, identifies as both, stepping proud of the troops and supervisor. He leads in the midst of a heightened moral dilemma, commanding all in this picture”.
#BaME
If you’re stuck in a holding cell because there’s a queue, I’ll take my break after you’ve booked in
If you’re on your own, I’ll help with you property
If you’re in the suite, I’ll acknowledge you
If you’re new, I’ll debrief you
If you’re exhausted, I’ll offer you a drink
For the third win in this month’s triple, I’m happy to share my promotion as of this week.
Thanks to all who have encouraged and offered support. It’s been a journey so far…
At least 3 members of public went out of their way to say they witnessed my arrest on the tube earlier, and that they’d give statements. A reminder that the majority out there may be silent, but they support what we’re here for.
@BTPLondon
@TfL
I've done my bit as a custody officer. A year was way too long. Overworked and undervalued. But one thing I've learned is that some of our very best people in the Met are designated detention officers.
You may be wondering whats happened to
@WYP_SBarberini
. She’s decided to switch off her account for now. Personal reasons.
She wanted to say a big thank you to all her 13.8k followers, to stay safe and to keep living the dream.
Had two
@MPSSpecials
present their first detainees to me at the weekend. They were exceptional. Grounds and searching better than some of the regulars. Happy custody officer (wait what?), Top effort! 👍🏽
Spent the last couple of hours at Kings College Hospital (Everyone involved will be ok).
I’ve seen it for myself, not that I needed to.
Ambulances and patients are queueing round the block. People are sick with
#Covid19UK
. It’s no joke, nor conspiracy.
Stay Home. Save Lives.
One of our police officers has sadly died after being shot by a man who was being detained in police custody in early this morning in Croydon.
Officers are in the process of informing members of the officer’s family.
Pleased to say I've also been elected as Deputy Chair of the
@MetBPA
. I have lots of ideas and ambitions but the focus will remain the same; Supporting our staff and encouraging
@metpoliceuk
to
#KeepRaceOnTheAgenda
. Look forward to working with EVERYONE.
Heartbreaking news today that the author of this heartfelt plea passed over the weekend. (She is the sergeant shown injured in picture at 2010 student riots). Never one to shy away from a challenge.
RIP Max
@metpoliceuk
@MPFed
#joblikenoother
#RIPMax
#policefamily
It’s official! April will mark the end of my days as a Constable. I have mixed feelings about this right now, only because PC work has given me the best times, stories and friends over ten years. Here’s to the next ten, leading incredible people.
#999Family
#BrixtonHillCop
“There is not enough evidence to prove that there was intention for the word to be racial, or that you suffered alarm or distress. I have taken the decision to stop the case”.
Regards, CPS.
#RacismStillAlive
Obnoxious Male won’t leave police station.
Directed away by me. Calls me an orangutang. Bad idea.
Not only my first arrest as custody officer but possibly the only time I’ll ever get custody number ONE. 👌🏽
Sadly not the first time I’ve been racially abused, nor the last.
People regularly see me and call me mate, only to apologise when I challenge them. They say they didn’t think I was a skipper / Acting Inspector.... even when my uniform and epaulettes are visible.
Dare I say I’m stereotyped at work. Thinking out loud...🤔
New pin finally turned up. Discreet but never forgetting
#SgtMattRatana
. 971CJ was his shoulder number at end of watch. The other one is for PC Rich Oxer, who we lost in 2010.
#LestWeForget
To those who have supported me this year, thank you for being uplifting.
To those who have been less so, thank you, thank you for energising me.
Here’s to 2021. Look forward to working with you some more.
Happy New Year 🥳
Just chatted with PC Abdalla.
He definitely doesn’t want to be made a fuss out of like a as it somewhat validates certain comments written. One can easily become a ‘token victim’.
He also appreciates we feel the need to support and our hearts are definitely in the right place.
A good example of how social media works. Unfiltered and unchecked.
We aim for the sensational, not the factual. We take advantage of human nature, which is the path of least resistance. We believe what anyone says, accurate or not. Very damaging and exhausting.
At the start of today's
#FreedomMarch
these two
@metpoliceuk
officers were filming us on the Reform TV bus. It looks like they've covered up their police badge numbers with the orange epaulettes. I can't see a number on them. Why? All officers are required to show their badge ID.
Last call for
@InspJWS
- This was after his retirement speech, which was about his people, not himself. Came as no surprise.
“You know who you are, you know what you did.”
#Hx1Out
#BHM
Detainee nicked for drunk and disorderly.
Waited in holding room so long that by the time he reached the desk he was sober. Ticket and released. Never saw a cell!
“Oh I do love my job sometimes”.
A ticket warden was seen laughing off abuse given by Tommy Robinson supporters after he gave the EDL founder’s campaign bus a parking ticket. Tommy Robinson is currently standing retrial for a contempt of court charge.
Today was
@InspJWS
’s very last tour of duty. He retires from the Met with 30 years of distinguished service. I am lucky to call him my friend. Dismissed with thanks, one last time by
@MPSHeathrow
. Congrats and good luck Gov.
Today’s emotions are pride and love.
Pride in the job I do and the people I do it with. Love for those who support us. It’s sad it’s in such circumstances, but it IS good to know you’re out there.
Sadness
Anger
Pride
Frustration
Honour
Determination
Despair
Love
The emotional Merry-go-round a lot of us are on right now. Keep talking.
#SgtMattRatana
To those who say
“leave them alone, he / She’s just a child”...
I share this with you. Not every child is dangerous, but please trust us to do our job, based on our intelligence picture (stuff like this, which we deal with more often than you think).
"If I could be half the man he was, I'd be happy. I am going to miss him."
As they mourn the loss of their much loved friend, colleagues of Sgt Matt Ratana have spoken of the wonderful memories they shared with him and the impact that he had on their lives.
#RIPMattRatana
💙
When you call someone out on uniform or professional standards, the stroppy minority may say something.
But if you don’t the silent majority will wonder why not...
What I’m saying is you have more support from your people than you think.