It’s not often that you see bystanders getting themselves involved in the middle of a police pursuit, but three unlikely members of the community decided to assist an officer in catching a suspect. As caught in a viral video that has been seen more than half a million times, a cop in the UK was in the middle of a routine traffic stop when the suspect suddenly sped off and then attempted to run away on foot. The officer was out of breath after trying to locate the man in the woods and it looked like he would get away until a couple offered to give the cop a lift.
Suspect speeds away during traffic stop and escapes on foot
On September 25 at around 3:47 p.m., PC Ford found himself in a dramatic foot chase near Bestwood Road when a 22-year-old suspected drug dealer tried to escape, according to a post by the Nottinghamshire Police on its official Facebook page.
The officer had identified a driver acting suspiciously after he had went through a red light in front of his patrol car. He demanded the man to pull over, and while he complied, the cop soon realized that there was a strong scent of cannabis coming from the vehicle. In the UK, cannabis is classified as a Class B drug and is illegal for recreational use.
Bodycam footage of the incident shows Ford telling the driver his suspicions. “I can definitely smell weed coming from this car, mate,” he says. “If you’ve got any in the car, we can sort it roadside.”
He later asks for the driver’s name, but as he’s writing it down in his notebook, the suspect decided not to stick around and suddenly accelerated. That led to a lengthy pursuit as the officer hurries back to his vehicle, puts his sirens on, and radios other officers in the area where he is. Ford then spots the suspect getting out of his vehicle and running on foot into the woods.
After crossing several streets and clambering through the brambles, the officer continues to give chase, telling the suspect that he has a taser. But he then asks for assistance by way of a dog unit or an aerial drone, admitting that he has lost the suspect in the woods.
Driver gives officer a lift during foot chase
Returning to the road, the cop then gets a fortunate break. He crosses the street and finds the driver and passenger of a silver SUV willing to offer him a hand.
“Am I alright to jump in?” the officer asks. And the passenger waves at him to hop in.
It only takes 15 seconds for the vehicle to catch up with the suspect, prompting the officer to leap out of the car and chase the man. The driver then provided further assistance, blocking off a driveway and forcing the suspect to run into a nearby parking lot. That allows the cop to pin the man against a brick wall who gives up quickly as he’s being detained by the officer and another bystander in a gray hoodie.
About six minutes later, Ford and the bystander are seen trudging up a hill in search of a black bag that the suspect had thrown away during the pursuit. The officer finds “a large quantity of cannabis” inside the bag. Curious as to who the bystander is at this point, Ford asks if he has experience in law enforcement.
“Are you a cop or something?” the officer asks.
“Prison officer,” the bystander replies.
Laughing, Ford responds, “I thought with the techniques you were using. Mate, you’ve been a legend. Thank you.”
The suspect was arrested on multiple charges, including driving without due care and attention, suspicion of possession with intent to supply a controlled Class B drug, driving on a road other than a motorway, criminal damage, and failing to comply with a red traffic light.
A search warrant of the suspect’s residence in Bestwood uncovered thousands of pounds of cash. He has been released on bail while an investigation continues to be conducted into the extent of his operation.
In a statement to the Hunknall Dispatch, Sgt Alex Piggott praised the efforts of the three civilians in the pursuit: “We would like to take this moment to thank the members of the public who assisted PC Ford. The driver and his partner who pointed our officer in the direction of the suspect and even offered him a ride as well as the member of the public who helped us detain the suspect while other officers were on their way. For that, we are eternally grateful.”
