Matiu Ratana
Police Sergeant

Matiu Ratana

Metropolitan Police — London, ENG
Felonious
End of Watch September 25, 2020
Age 54
The Vigil Panel 193 ›
Gender Male

Incident

On the morning of 25th September 2020, a 23-year-old man was arrested for drugs offences and possession of ammunition and taken to the Croydon Custody Centre. Approaching the suspect to carry-out a temperature check for COVID-19 infection and search him, Sgt Ratana was shot in the chest.

He was taken to hospital where he died from gunshot wounds.

Sgt Ratana was posthumously awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2020 Unsung Hero award.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-GB-MEP-AA7C5421
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Sergeant Ratana served with the Metropolitan Police.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Sergeant Ratana.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Metropolitan Police
Type Police Department
Location London, ENG
Platform Identity mpd.wsm.eng.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 25, 2020
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Homicide - Shot

Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In ENG, 702 of 2,827 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 24.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Metropolitan Police, 185 of 729 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25.4% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police
185
of 729 officers
25.4% Felonious
ENG — Statewide
702
of 2,827 officers
24.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Matiu Ratana's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Matiu Ratana Compares

Age at Death
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Matiu Ratana is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909