Mike Farrant, from Bedfordshire, was appointed as the Counter Terrorist Security Co-ordinator for the funeral of Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Mark Farrant is a Chief Inspector for Bedfordshire Police, and a Corporal in the Royal Air Force (RAF) Volunteer Reserves. He was responsible for developing the security plan to ensure the safety of the event, military personnel and the public at the funeral of Captain Sir Tom Moore.

Cpl Mark Farrant joined the RAF Reserves in 2015, then 42 years old. “It’s never too late to become a reservist,” he told East Anglia RFCA back in 2017 for our Reserves Day campaign. He is a reservist with 3 (Tactical) Police Squadron, which trains out of RAF Honington in Suffolk. 

Mark was 8,000 miles away from Bedfordshire when the COVID 19 pandemic struck the world. He had been mobilised to work as a dog handler for the RAF in the Falkland Islands. 

Due to his role in Bedfordshire Police, he had to return earlier than planned to the UK, in order to take over as Chief Inspector for Operational Support, with a focus on managing the Civilian Police response to the pandemic.

“Upon returning home from the Falkland Islands, I saw the heroic exploits of Captain Tom, and what was to become an iconic moment of positivity and hope during the pandemic,” Mark said.

“It was a real privilege to play a small part in ensuring that our National Hero Captain Sir Tom was given a truly fitting tribute at his funeral.”

“It was a humbling experience but one that I will look back on with great pride.”

The skills and experience that RAF reservists bring with them from their civilian employment benefits the RAF, and in turn, the reservists develop skills through their RAF training that they can take back to their civilian roles.

Anyone who is interested in the work of 3 Tactical Police Squadron should call the unit’s recruiting team on 01359 237066. The unit is comprised of reservists who work in a variety of roles, including general police duties, aviation security, military working dog handling and specialist duties including close protection.