A POLICE officer from Westbury has been stateside to lend British support to a bereavement group for US police officers killed in action.

PC Martin Robson, 36, went to Washington DC for US Police Memorial Week to back a new organisation which supports bereaved families called Care of Police Survivors (COPS).

PC Robson, a firearms officer based in Devizes, went along with more than 30 of his colleagues from around the UK, with the eventual aim of setting up a similar organisation here.

PC Robson said: "I saw an advert in a police newspaper and volunteered to go and represent my country. I had my photograph taken hundreds of times. They have so much respect over there for the British Bobby."

During the tour, PC Robson met dozens of families of American police officers who had died in the course of their duty.

Six-year-old 'Mackey' is the son of an Oklahoma state trooper who was shot dead when he arrived at an incident. Mackey attended the US Memorial Week wearing his father's uniform, which had been cut to size to fit him.

PC Robson said: "It was nice to meet Mackey. As he sat next to me while we were having our picture taken there was a tear in his eye. It's obvious he was proud his father was a policeman.

"He seems to be coping very well, and he has so many friends as a result of the support through the US COPS charity."

PC Robson carried the Union Jack flag during a candlelit vigil as part of US police week, and took part in a Memorial Day Service, attended by President George Bush.

PC Robson said: "It was really quite an emotional week for me. We are a lot more reserved over in the UK and I don't know if we would have a memorial as part of our group over here, but it is very important to set up the group to get recognition for officers and support for their families."