One of Greater Manchester Police’s top officers has scooped three awards for his bravery, quick thinking and determination.
PC Mark Pickering, 29, was rewarded for being the best officer in Bury, and with his partner PC Graham Black received two awards including a Chief Constable’s Commendation for tackling an offender armed with a knife who was threatening his mother.
Mark has already shown he had a ‘nose for finding criminals’ in the Sky One documentary The Force: Manchester when he was seen sniffing out drugs that had been thrown by an offender he had chased.
“There is no other job like it, and I have wanted to be a police officer since the age of about four or five,” said Mark from Radcliffe.
“I remember the community officer used to visit and the police came to school which I think sparked my interest.
“I am really pleased to have received the awards both for me and Graham. I do try to be very proactive and I suppose I am focused which means I do find a lot of the crime and criminals cross my path.”
He joined GMP in 2008 after spending a short time in the Ministry of Defence Police and after completing probationary training and time on response policing spent time in plain clothes on the Offender Management Unit before moving to deal with emergency calls for the past five years.
Mark likes to train in the gym before starting his shift and when he arrives at work makes sure he has the details of vehicles used in crime or any updates so he is ready for action. Mark received his commendation from Chief Constable Ian Hopkins.
