Andy Pope, a Police Community Support Officer with West Midlands Police, has reached a staggering milestone by identifying his 3,000th suspect using only his memory. Known across the force as the “Memory Cop,” the 47-year-old belongs to an elite group of super recognisers who can zero in on faces in crowded areas or low-quality CCTV. His uncanny talent proved a game-changer during the pandemic when masks covered much of each face—yet Pope continued to spot suspects by cues like moles or distinctive scars. In one memorable case, he identified a shoplifter from a photograph he had seen a year earlier.
To stay sharp, Pope reviews police briefings, CCTV clips, and still images before shifts and often hops on buses and trains to boost his chances of encountering suspects he has memorized. Now one of the first 20 members of the Super Recognisers Association, he makes a fresh match on average every other shift, leading to hundreds of arrests. Despite this extraordinary ability, Pope jokes that he’s hopeless at remembering important dates, leaving birthdays and anniversaries to his wife. “I’m proud to play my part in catching criminals and keeping our streets safer,” he says, a smile spreading across his face.