WASHINGTON, D.C. — Imagine being able to recall every face you’ve seen as if your mind were a photo album. For Metro Transit Police Officer Kache Fields, that’s not imagination — it’s reality.
Fields, a Southeast D.C. native, has spent the past seven years using her rare gift of photographic memory to track down and apprehend suspects across the Metro system. Known as a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) specialist, she has become one of the department’s most effective crime-fighting tools.
Turning Memory Into a Crime-Fighting Skill
Each day, Fields studies BOLO emails, which contain photos of suspects wanted by Metro Transit Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and even the U.S. Marshals Service.
“I basically place them in my head,” she explained. “When I’m patrolling my stations, that’s when I see the person, and that BOLO photograph comes to the front of my head.”
Her ability to instantly recognize faces has led to arrests in cases ranging from robbery and gun charges to homicide and sexual assault.
“You can change your outfit, but you can’t change your face,” Fields said.
Thousands of Cases, One Memory
Over the years, Fields has contributed to thousands of cases across the Metro system. In one record-setting day, she made eight BOLO stops, an achievement that underscores how her skill has become a force multiplier for the department.
Her work has been so reliable that federal and local agencies often count on her assistance. “Metro is one of the most wired transit systems in the world from a camera and technology perspective,” a colleague noted. “But Kache does it with her mind.”
A Mentor’s Recognition
Fields didn’t always realize her unique ability. It was Detective Barlow, a mentor in 2018, who first pointed it out.
“He introduced me to the skill set after I recognized one of his notorious robbery kids,” Fields recalled. That moment marked the beginning of her career as Metro’s BOLO specialist.
Balancing Duty and Respect
Despite her uncanny ability to locate suspects, Fields emphasizes compassion in her approach. “I want the bad guys and the bad girls to know: I will find you,” she said. “But I will also still treat you with respect as a human.”
That philosophy, colleagues say, has helped her maintain professionalism in a role that constantly deals with high-stakes situations.
Dedication to Public Safety
For Fields, the mission is clear: protect and serve riders on one of the busiest transit systems in the nation. Her skill may be extraordinary, but she insists it’s about more than memory.
“It’s about making people feel safe,” she said. “That’s what drives me every day.”
With her photographic recall and steadfast dedication, Officer Kache Fields has become not just a guardian of the Metro system but a reminder of how individual talents can strengthen public safety in powerful ways.
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