James O'Brien: I want to thank you, not just the officers but the families and loved ones
25 September 2020, 10:34
James O'Brien thanks police officers and their loved ones after a Met Police officer was shot dead.
This is James O'Brien's heartfelt tribute to police officers, their families and loved ones after a police officer was shot and killed in Croydon.
The tribute comes after a police officer died after being shot in a police station by a man who was being detained.
The Metropolitan Police said the officer died in hospital after being shot by the man at Croydon custody centre in south London during the early hours of Friday.
James said: "Every police family in the land faces every shift that this could happen to their loved one."
He told his LBC listeners maybe this was where "all conversations about the police should begin, with the knowledge that they know this could happen every single time they go to work."
"I really just want to say thank you. To you, not just the police officers but the wives, and the husbands, the children and the parents, the brothers the sisters, it's a burden that you live with that the rest of us never really acknowledge on days like today."
James said it was something he thought we should all note. While most people are looking at the news of what has happened and feeling shocked, there are people out there who are feeling fear, because it could be their loved one.
"I just want to say thank you, for everything that you do. Not just the police officers but the families that live with the knowledge that this is a permanent and constant risk."
The incident has been referred to Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog which will lead an independent investigation. The Met continues to investigate the officer's murder.
The officer's family are being told.
