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A Â鶹ƵµÀ (Leicester) alumna experienced a moving visit to the New York Police Department headquarters where she was able to thank officers for their support when her aunt was killed in the Manchester bombings.

The visit had special meaning for Sam McIver who already had a relationship with the NYPD after her aunt was killed in the tragic events in May 2017.

Sam said: “My aunty was with her partner at the MEN Arena on the night of the Ariana Grande bombing. Unfortunately they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and my aunty was killed by the bomb.”

Her aunt, Elaine McIver, had been a police officer with Cheshire Police and the NYPD officers had been in touch with Sam’s family and sent plaques and a card with their condolences.

As part of the trip Sam was able to thank the officers who signed the card for the support they had given her family and she was able to present the team with plaques from police back in the UK.

Design graduate Sam said: “When the opportunity for this trip arose I obviously told my family and they said it would be a really lovely gesture to come and repay that respect,bring some things and meet some of the officers that wrote some of those lovely messages for us.”

The alumni group took part in a behind the scenes tour of the New York Police Department headquarters as part of the epic #DMUglobal visit to the city.

The group spent their first day visiting One Police Plaza, where they were given a guided tour by police officer Mike Pelino.

Officer Pelino said: “It was very nice to meet everyone, especially Sammy, unfortunately we know what she went through with her aunt, and we know what that’s like.

“We’re all one big family so we try and take care of each other.”

They visited the Joint Operations Center which includes an Operations Center, Watch Command and Situation Room. The areas are used during major events and crises to manage the situation.

The group were able to watch an exclusive film featuring tributes to police officers who had been killed in the line of duty, which is not usually shown to audiences outside the NYPD

Officers shared anecdotes from throughout their careers and reassured alumni that Manhattan is incredibly safe, largely due to the high police presence.

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The alumni group also discussed differences between British and American policing and issues facing the police service, including cuts to funding and jobs.

The tour ended in the Police Commissioners Office where Mike Pelino talked through the history of the role including the period that Theodore Roosevelt was New York’s police commissioner.