SUPER-SPOTTER police community support officer Andy Pope from Redditch has reached another marvelous milestone after identifying his 3,000th suspect while on patrol.
The eagle-eyed officer, who is part of West Midlands Police’s Safer Travel Team, has a special gift which helps him remembers faces of wanted men and women in the region.
The bad news for criminals is he has no intentions of stopping anytime soon.
As part of his role, the 47-year-old regularly patrols various transport hubs, including railway stations and on trains, along with the surrounding areas.
When starting a shift, Andy will often look through CCTV, video stills and police briefings to keep himself updated on those who are wanted.
His unique ability has seen him spot suspects in connection with a range of offences from attempted murder and sex attacks to assaults and minor incidents.
These can often be in crowded places and award-winning Andy even managed to pick out people while they were wearing face masks during the Covid pandemic.
Andy said: “I’m just glad I can assist in catching crime suspects and keeping communities safe across the West Midlands.
“It’s really hard to explain how I manage to remember and spot faces, as it just comes natural.
“It’s a nice feeling to have passed the 3,000 milestone since I started the role.
“I’m hoping there will be many more to come too.”
