On or off duty, we're always here to help

Never off duty.

While on rest days on Monday, Sergeant Hanson – one of our custody sergeants – was on his way to pick up some food at a shop in Stanley when he noticed an elderly woman looking distressed.

He stopped to check on her, and she told him she had run out of fuel and was looking for somewhere to get some.

Realising it would be a bit of a trek for her on foot, Sergeant Hanson took her in his car to the nearest petrol station to fill up a jerry can with fuel.

Once there, he noticed one of the staff members confronting a man inside the store so went to investigate.

The man was a suspected shoplifter and was trying to leave the store with several items. Sergeant Hanson quickly grabbed hold of the man and detained him, with help from a member of the public, while shop staff called for police backup.

The man was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting and making threats to cause criminal damage after threatening to blow Sergeant Hanson’s house up. The 39-year-old was taken into police custody to spend the evening in one of our cells.

During the kerfuffle, the elderly lady managed to fill her jerry can with fuel, so Sergeant Hanson took her back to her car and filled it up with the fuel she had bought.

Whether they’re on or off duty, our officers will always be here to help.