Shomrim pays tribute to police sergeant fatally shot in Croydon
Chaim Hochhauser of the group's Stamford Hill Branch said Sgt Matt Ratana 'was very nice, helpful, and his approach was ‘how can we make the Jewish community feel comfortable?'
Members of the Stamford Hill Jewish community “could not believe it” when they heard of the fatal shooting of Sergeant Matt Ratana in Croydon Police custody suite last week.
Chaim Hochhauser, of the Stamford Hill branch of Shomrim, the community security group which has close links with the Metropolitan Police, knew Sergeant Ratana well.
He said: “Sergeant Ratana was part of the Safer Neighbourhood team in Hackney and we went on a lot of patrols together. He was very nice, very helpful, and his main approach was ‘how can we make the Jewish community feel comfortable?’”
Mr Hochhauser said that the sergeant was keen on “stamping out instances of antisemitism”. In return Shomrim donated bike lights and helmets to the local police team — “it worked both ways”.
Only two weeks ago Sergeant Ratana, who was originally from a Maori family in New Zealand, had sent Mr Hochhauser a message wishing him a happy new year. “His text is still on my phone”.
“We have lost a great friend”, Mr Hochhauser said. “No one can believe what has happened”. He said that in due course Shomrim would consider what the organisation would like to do to honour Sergeant Ratana’s memory.
RIP Sgt Ratana. A special Police officer and a great friend of #Shomrim and the wider Hackney community. @MPSHackney https://t.co/KlTNwzw4lk
— Shomrim (London North & East) (@Shomrim) September 26, 2020
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
