Not every member of the public runs away when they see police chasing a suspect. Sometimes, they pull over, throw open the doors of their van, and become an unexpected part of the arrest.
That’s exactly what happened in Kent earlier this month when a quick-thinking driver stopped to help an armed police officer who was chasing down a fleeing suspect. Body camera footage captured the moment on June 16 at about 12:50 pm, showing the motorist pulling over and shouting, “Get in the back! Get in the back!” as the officer sprinted after a man accused of a serious assault.
According to Kent Police, the armed officer had been pursuing a suspect who allegedly fled from a property in Margate following a serious assault. The suspect reportedly ran into a nearby park in an attempt to evade capture, but thanks to one helpful van driver, the officer got a much-needed assist.
It’s not every day that police pursuits turn into an impromptu rideshare service. Kent Police later shared the footage on social media, where many viewers praised the van driver for stepping in to help during what authorities described as a dangerous situation.
One Driver Decided To Turn His Van Into a Police Cruiser
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The footage begins with the officer running through the area while carrying a large firearm and searching for the suspect on foot. As the pursuit continued, an approaching van suddenly pulled over beside the officer.
Without hesitation, the driver called out for the officer to climb aboard. Body camera footage shows the officer quickly jumping into the rear of the van. “Go, go, go! Cheers buddy. Follow that police officer,” the officer can be heard saying as the van accelerated in the direction of the suspect.
At one point, the officer also cautioned the motorist about the speed of the pursuit, saying, “Don’t crash.” To this, the driver confidently replied, “I won’t crash, sir.”
The Impromptu Rideshare Ended Exactly Where Police Hoped It Would
The officer’s unusual ride appears to have paid off. In the video, you can see the van pull up to the side of what appears to be a park of some kind, asking the driver of the van to stop the vehicle.
This is where the chase ended with the officer yelling out, “Don’t move. Put your hands on your head.” At this point, the officer walked back over to the driver of the vehicle and asked him to leave as they completed their investigation.
The officer is seen shaking the motorist’s hand and thanking him for his assistance. “I am just glad I could be of service. That was quite exhilarating,” the driver replied.
Fortunately, the incident ended without any additional injuries being reported. While police generally discourage members of the public from intervening in dangerous situations, authorities made it clear that in this case, one driver’s split-second decision played a major role in bringing a dangerous pursuit to an end.
Additional information about the arrest, including the name of the suspect, has not been shared with the public.
Commenters Think the Van Driver Had the Ride of His Life
Commenters were just as surprised as I was about the entire situation, with many believing that the van driver was more excited than anything. The top comment reads, “That guy loved that I can tell 😂.”
Another commended the driver for not just being another bystander, writing, “Love this! What a contrast this is to some other videos that do the rounds of people just standing by filming a single crewed officer struggling on the floor with violent thugs. Hats off to this bloke, bravo. 👏.”
Personally, my favorite comment read, “He’s going out tomorrow to get some red stripes for that van.” While information about the suspect has not been released, I would like to think he won’t be released to the public and pose as a danger to drivers any time soon.