West Midlands PoliceA West Midlands PCSO has celebrated his 70th birthday while on duty patrolling in Wolverhampton.
Paul Richardson was one of the first police community support officers in the city and is still going strong decades on, the force said.
He decided he wanted to spend his milestone birthday on duty, doing the job he enjoys most.
The grandfather-of-four said his family was “very supportive”, adding “they know how important this role is to me”.
He said: “I take great pride in being out on the streets to help prevent crime and ensure people can enjoy being in the city centre, whatever time of the day, without a fear of crime.
“I can be out until 03:00 some mornings but I would feel guilty if I wasn’t out there with my team. It was quite emotional with all the goodwill shown to me on my birthday.”
He began volunteering as a special constable, based in Stourbridge, during the 1990s before becoming a full-time PCSO in 2003.
The PCSO previously received a Chief Constable’s Commendation for helping to defuse a large disorder involving up to 60 people where a loaded pistol was recovered.
“Paul is a much-valued member of our team and has been for many, many years,” Insp Sophie Clement said.
“He is a familiar and welcoming face within Wolverhampton city centre and works tirelessly to help others.
“He has a real passion for policing and is proof that age is just a number.”
