It would seem that playing ’doctor’ and delivering babies while in police uniform are a part of Warrant Officer Roderick Middelkamp’s daily routine.
For the fourth time, during the early hours of this morning, this brave police officer at the Despatch unit came to the aid of a pregnant mother, explained Captain André Beetge, police spokesperson.
“At about 04:20, while busy with crime prevention patrols, W.O. Middelkamp was contacted by a distraught community member urgently seeking his assistance with a woman that was about to give birth at home. Immediately and without hesitation the police officer rushed to a house in Goosen Street in Despatch,” Beetge said.
The 31-year-old mother-to-be was in the advanced stages of labour.
“Remaining very calm, he assured the mother that everything was going to be fine and within five minutes he adroitly delivered a bonny baby girl. By the time the ambulance arrived, both mother and baby were fine.”
The 50-year-old police officer with over 30 years’ of service in the SAPS, proudly boasted that this was his fourth baby (all girls) that he had delivered while at SAPS Despatch.
“When a police officer reports for duty he/she dons on the cloak of a mother, father, social worker, law enforcer and many times a gynaecologist. Situations arise that warrants immediate action and society looks upon a police officer as ‘the jack of all trades’ and a saviour in times of crisis. In most cases, no matter the circumstances, our men and women in blue emerge victorious by showing that ’we can do it’,” Beetge said.
ISSUED BY SAPS
