Tributes flood in as ‘tireless voice of the Pc’ dies suddenly

Federation chairman Paul McKeever, 57, died last night after suffering a suspected embolism.

Tributes were paid by colleagues and Home Secretary Theresa May, with whom Mr McKeever had heated clashes.

Mrs May said: “I was deeply saddened to hear the news. [Paul McKeever] gave more than 35 years of his life to the police in a long and distinguished career, including risking his own personal safety at the frontline in the Brixton riots.

“He worked tirelessly on behalf of rank and file officers across the country.”

Mr McKeever, who was married with one daughter, was just two weeks away from retirement, having announced his departure last summer from the body that represents rank-and-file officers.

At the time he said: “I cannot stay within a service that is having the office of constable attacked, police officers denigrated and public safety put at risk.”

He had also accused Mrs May of being “on the precipice of destroying a police service that is admired and replicated throughout the world”.

Association of Chief Police Officers president Sir Hugh Orde said: “The sad news has come as a shock to the policing family. Paul and I served together as Pcs in London. Paul worked tirelessly as Police Federation chairman and was a passionate advocate for public safety and the rank and file.”

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe sent his condolences to Mr McKeever’s family and the son of the late Pc David Rathband, shot and blinded by gun maniac Raoul Moat, also paid tribute.