Dramatic footage shows the moment a “quick-thinking” police officer commandeered a bicycle from a member of the public in order to chase down and arrest a suspected domestic abuser in a park.
PC Tom Harris, of West Midlands Police, had been on a domestic call-out when he spotted the wanted man a quarter of a mile away at Oaklands Recreational Ground in Yardley, Birmingham.
He said he had “spotted a man matching the description” provided by a woman involved in the domestic call-out, but that he was “quite some distance away”.
Footage from the officer’s body-worn camera shows him giving chase along Hob Moor Road before asking a cyclist if he could borrow his mountain bike.
The rider agreed and asked “Are you after that bloke?” to which PC Harris replied: “Yeah, that bloke there. Cheers mate.”
He then quickly caught up with the 23-year-old man, who was on foot, and detained him in the park on August 31.
The officer told the suspect: “Stop! Hands behind your back now” as the man, who was wearing a sling, replied “watch my arm, man” as he was hand-cuffed.
PC Harris was then able to hand the bike to two nearby police officers, to return it to its rightful owner.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of breaching his bail terms by trying to force his way into a property that he is banned from visiting.
He is accused of defying his conditions by turning up at the woman’s home in Birmingham, hammering on the door and threatening to force entry.
Appearing in court the next day, the suspect’s bail was revoked and he was remanded into prison.
‘Would be a hell of a lot easier to pedal’
Pc Harris said: “We were on the phone to the woman as we headed to her address and she told us the man had left and gave us his description.
“I spotted a man matching the description in Oaklands Recreational Ground but he was quite some distance away.
“I saw the cyclist and thought it would be a hell of a lot easier to pedal rather than run with all my kit on.
“A big shout to that man for helping me and for the two PCSOs who were nearby and returned the bike while I arrested the suspect.”
The man is due to appear in court later this year to face charges of domestic assault and criminal damage.
After the footage was uploaded to social media by the force, many web users praised the officer’s “old school” style of policing.
One wrote: “Doesn’t get more old school than that. Fair play that copper” while another added: “Now that is thinking on your feet. Great job.”
The force said: “We caught up with an alleged domestic abuser after a quick-thinking cop commandeered a man’s pedal cycle to pursue the suspect.”
