After 30 years in Derbyshire, 49-year-old PC Jason Potts, a star of Channel 5's Traffic Cops, has finally signed off his radio for good. DerbyshireLive reported Jason joined the force at just 19, beginning as a regular police officer patrolling streets in a number of Derbyshire towns and villages.
But after serving with the Roads Policing Unit for 25 years, Jason has decided it's time to retire. He announced his retirement back in May with a statement discussing his history as a cop and how other people can be inspired to join specialist units.
He wrote: "There’s a role for everyone. I’ve found that I’ve worked on officer teams where we would call some of our colleagues the ‘thief takers’ and you know that they will do their best to arrest somebody if they know they’ve committed an offence.
“It’s an opportunity where you start off being a police officer in uniform, you find what you’re interested in, and the force will invest time and money into making you the best you can be.”
July 16 was PC Potts' final day on the job and Traffic Cops narrator Jamie Theakston released a farewell video to mark his last day.
Viewers of Traffic Cops have reacted on Twitter with one person saying: "Thank You Jason for your 30 years of protecting us. Now time to put your feet up mate and I wish you success in what adventures life takes you on next."
Another said: "Thank you for everything you have done Jason. Your service hasn’t gone unnoticed and everyone is truly grateful."
A fan added: "Have enjoyed you so much on Traffic Cops. Thank you Jason and enjoy your retirement."
One of the tweet replies read: "PC Potts came across so well on camera, doubtlessly exactly the same in real life. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Derbyshire Police."
Jason released a post, saying: "I've never been one to post comments on social media. However, it's been brought to my attention the sheer scale of views and well wishes as a result of my retirement post.
"I truly feel honoured to have had so many people take the time to post messages. Being a part of Traffic Cops has been an incredible journey for all involved and has allowed us to show how hard police officers work every day to keep everyone safe."
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