A police community support officer (PCSO) for the Medstead and Ropley area has been awarded a commendation for his work as a police constable in East Hampshire. Former Police Constable turned PCSO David Nops, received the award during the North and East Hampshire OCU (Operational Command Unit) commander's ceremony in Aldershot on April 17. The award was given for the way in which Pc Nops dealt with a fatal crash on the A31 at Ropley in September 2005 when six people lost their lives. In the citation for the commendation, Chief Inspector Phil Kedge said of David Nops: "Sometimes officers are faced with challenging situations that no amount of training can prepare them for, and in September 2005 Pc Nops found himself in such a situation. "You may recall the horrific and tragic accident on the A31 near Ropley where six people lost their lives and one person was seriously injured. Chief Insp Kedge then listed the work undertaken by Pc Nops, who was the first officer on the scene. l With calmness and professionalism he took control. l Managed the initial scene. l Administered first aid l Called for specialist units. l Dealt with friends and relatives who turned up.
"To make the situation more difficult Pc Nops knew some of those who had lost their lives. The officer displayed the highest level of professionalism and in doing so brought order to a chaotic and tragic situation." Speaking about the commendation, PCSO Nops said: "Ironically the accident happened the day after I was due to officially retire. "Not only was it the worst accident on record for Hampshire involving two vehicles, but I knew some of he victims and their families." "It had been a gruelling experience, but I simply did what I was trained to do." This was his third commendation. Some 12 years ago, as a member of Alton's response car team, he received two commendations for taking part in a high speed car chase to Reading which resulted in the capture of four criminals. But in April last year David Nops decided to retire from the police force after more than 30 years as an officer and to become one of Alton's first PCSOs. Responsible for 14 villages, the job enables him to provide a visible presence on the street, dealing with such community issues as anti-social behaviour and damage, but without the power of arrest or responsibilities for solving crime. It has none of the pressures associated with regular police work and he is enjoying it enormously.