The daughter of a police officer dubbed "Robocop" after he arrested a record-breaking 404 criminals in a year is following in his footsteps by joining the same force.
PC Rachel Evans, 31, has even been given the same collar number as her hero dad Diederik Coetzee.
PC Coetzee was nicknamed “Robocop” after he made a staggering 309 arrests in 2005 and 404 the following year while patrolling Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Tragically his policing career was cut short in 2011 when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver as he cycled to the gym.
He suffered serious head injuries and spent 15 months in hospital and rehabilitation centres before retiring on medical grounds.
His proud daughter Rachel has now joined Nottinghamshire Police and will patrol her dad’s old beat.
She said: “My dream job as a child was to be a police officer but I ended up going down a different avenue, studying film at university. Then my dad had the accident and it made me rethink what I wanted to do.
“I would visit my dad in hospital and his colleagues were there telling me stories about how amazing he was at his job as a police officer. That reignited an old flame and I decided to join the police.
“I’ve been a police community support officer for eight years and I’m really excited to undertake this new challenge and become a police constable.”
Rachel was among 47 new recruits who passed out at a ceremony at Sherwood Lodge HQ on Friday, August 6.
Dressed in full uniform, Rachel said she was proud to be wearing her father’s old collar number, 2450.
Rachel added: “It means a lot to me as it’s carrying on his legacy.
“He’s such an inspirational person and had such a positive impact on the community he policed. It makes me feel so incredibly proud to wear his collar number.”
Mr Coetzee, 64, said: “I’m so proud of her. I’ve been waiting for this day – it’s nice to have a police officer in the family again.
“She’s got to make well over 300 arrests in one year to beat my record. It’s a big target but she’ll do it. She’s certainly got the brains to do it.”
At the time of the hit-and-run crash, Mr Coetzee's family were warned he may not survive.
Hit-and-run driver Mitchel Graham was jailed for 15 months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.
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