An Aberdeen police officer has been nominated for a top award after saving the life of a colleague experiencing suicidal thoughts.Constable Andrew Peter has been nominated for the Cops’ Cop of the Year award at the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) Awards, which are set to take place on Thursday.
The nomination comes after PC Peter, or Drew to his colleagues, decided to step in when he noticed a workmate acting out of character, a decision that the officer now credits with saving his life.
The officer, who did not wish to be named, explained how he and Drew had been tasked with attending a domestic incident when his mental health issues began to show in his work, through him making mistakes and “not being myself.”
‘He saved my life’
Noticing the unusual behaviour from his colleague, Drew instigated a conversation after leaving the job, and carried it on over the phone after work was finished, helping to ensure that his colleague sought the help he needed.
The officer said: “I don’t know how much worse that could have got if it wasn’t for Drew. He saved my life.”
The incident was just one example of Drew’s level of dedication to his job that earned him the nomination for the coveted Cops’ Cop of the Year awards, which the SPF say: “Reflects the very best of the service and demonstrates the positive impact that our members make.”
The fact that PC Peter has been nominated for this top cop honour comes as no surprise to David Threadgold, chairman of the North Area Committee of the SPF, who said: “Drew never fails to cheer everyone in the office up when they’re feeling down with a funny story or uncanny impression.
‘He knows when something’s wrong’
“Any time I’ve seen Drew interact with members of the public they immediately warm to him, which is testament to his work ethic and how seriously he takes the job.
“Drew is one of the most intuitive people I’ve ever met – he knows when something’s wrong and he makes it his business to help wherever or however he can.”
Drew himself said that it felt “brilliant” to be nominated for an award simply for doing his job the only way he knows how.
“It’s a great job that I really enjoy and my colleagues are really important to me,” he said.