There are calls that test an officer’s skills, and then there are calls that test an officer’s patience. Last week, the Broomfield Police Department in Colorado fielded one of the latter. A local resident had discovered a duck nest in their backyard, and with the ducklings ready to make their move, it was time to get the family relocated to the nearest pond.
The plan seemed straightforward enough. Animal Services Officer Voltin arrived on scene, sized up the situation, and hatched a perfectly reasonable solution: load mom and the ducklings into a crate and drive the whole crew to the water. Clean, efficient, door-to-door service. The ducklings thought this sounded great.
Momma duck had other ideas. She made it abundantly clear she had no interest in the crate, the timeline, or anyone’s plan. She was walking. That was final.
So Officer Voltin adjusted. A Broomfield patrol officer held traffic at the busy intersection of Lowell and Midway Boulevards while the duck proceeded on foot, at her own pace, on her own terms.
The Ducklings Got the VIP Package
While mom handled the commute herself, the little ones were loaded up and chauffeured to the pond in the crate she had so firmly declined.
No complaints from that group.
She Was Already There
When the crate arrived and the ducklings were released, mom was waiting at the water’s edge. She had made the crossing on foot, navigated a busy Colorado intersection with a police escort, and still beat the transport vehicle to the destination.
Whether that says something about her determination or the ducklings’ loading process is unclear.
A Reminder That Not Every Call Involves a Speedometer
Not all police work involves high-speed pursuits or flashing lights. Sometimes it involves standing in traffic and deferring to a duck.
The Broomfield PD shared the story on social media, and credit for the photo goes to The Quilt Shop, whose officer-on-duck-duty shot has earned its moment in the spotlight.
Family reunited. Pond reached. Case closed.