A FORMER police constable and dog handler has died at the age of 52.
Paul Beeken, who went to Burnsfield School and King Edward School in Chatteris before attending the Neale Wade in March, was a member of the March Air Training Corps.
The son of Barbara and the late Howard Beeken, of March, he joined the Metropolitan Police in 1980 and was posted to Kentish Town, Kilburn and then West Hendon.
He achieved his ambition of becoming a police dog handler and trainer and last year postponed his retirement to serve as a dog handler during the London 2012 Olympics.
Due to the retirement date postponement he was able to keep his dog who had become too old to be passed on to another handler.
His faithful friend Furkin was handed over to him a week before he died of acute myeloid leukaemia.
Mr Beeken had been ill for six months.
Away from his police work Mr Beeken was a keen Scuba diving instructor.
He leaves a wife Marisa and two daughters Francesca and Luisa.
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