Police Commander Nick Bracken took to the streets of Stratford on the last day of his career in law enforcement.

The 51-year-old, awarded an OBE in 2006, was accompanied in Stratford by new recruit Special Constable Sabrina Sandhu who has been in the Metropolitan Police 11 months.

Commander Bracken, who was born in Newham, said: “I am a Newham boy through-and-through. I did my very first patrol on the borough as a Special Constable and that’s where I did my last.”

Throughout his career he has built up a wealth of experience and led numerous high profile national investigations.

He was the Senior Investigating Officer for the Winsford, Paddington (Ladbroke Grove) and Selby train crashes and the reviewing officer for the Tebay rail accident. He was also appointed the Senior Identification Manager following the Yarls Wood immigration centre fire in Bedfordshire, and 16 years after the incident he lead the successful re-investigation into the previously unidentified victim of the 1987 Kings Cross underground fire.

Nick’s expertise was recognised in the 2006 New Years honours list with an OBE for services to policing. In 2010 he was also given the Freedom of the borough of Newham for his commitment and service to the local community.

Most recently he returned from New Zealand where he headed up a MPS British Disaster Victim Identification team helping the authorities in Christchurch identify those who died in the earthquake.

He will soon be joining Newham Council as the director of Community Safety.