Police risk their lives daily - they really are unsung heroes | Rick Jackson

Rick witnessed a real police chase from his office window, seeing a policeman running after a youth who had pulled a knife. Picture Adobe StockRick witnessed a real police chase from his office window, seeing a policeman running after a youth who had pulled a knife. Picture Adobe Stock
Rick witnessed a real police chase from his office window, seeing a policeman running after a youth who had pulled a knife. Picture Adobe Stock
I’ve seen police bravery on TV reality documentaries, dramas and in the movies, but over the weekend I saw it in real life.

From our office window we watched a policeman chase a young male across the park.

The male crossed the road ahead of the officer who was now walking.

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We watched the male hide in a yard area opposite where we work.

This was so much excitement for a usually mundane day at work, we thought.

The police officer didn’t notice the youth hiding in the yard and ran past on the adjacent pathway and disappeared.

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We thought it was all over.

We kept seeing this young man reappear from the back of the properties whose yard he was in, keeping an eye out for the pursuing officer, but he didn’t return.

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He must have thought he still needed to hide as this chap reappeared again, walking to the opposite side of the yard to hide behind some large containers.

As he walked towards them, he pulled out a very large knife. ‘Woah!’ we said, this changed everything and we dialled 999.

Up until then, he could have been a little scally running away after shoplifting or trying to steal a bike.

The knife made this different gravy.

We needed the chasing officer to know what he would be up against if he were to find the fugitive.

We didn’t know his story but this was now serious.

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The police now knew his location and two officers gingerly entered the yard. One spotted the young man in the corner, hiding behind the containers; the second officer ran around the other side of the fence and administered pepper spray.

Then the first officer bravely edged down the side of the container and pulled the young man out – he’d also managed to handcuff him.

Then the cavalry arrived and he was led away. For me, the impressive actions of those officers took this dangerous young man off the streets.

A parent with a toddler, students and school children were walking down this footpath unaware of the dangers close by.

It was all in a day’s work for our brave police officers.

The biggest responsibility

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It was a simple, silly little thing, but the immense warmth and purpose I felt cannot be found anywhere else on this planet - I played tooth fairy for my six-year-old daughter.

Out popped her second front tooth.

My wife Sarah was away so it fell to me to place the tooth under her pillow, the excitement in her eyes at the impending arrival of the tooth fairy filled her face.

As I went to bed, I placed £2 under her pillow. You take it for granted, but at that moment I realised I am her world. I will help mould her personality, keep her safe but prepare her for the big wide world.

What a job, the best in the world. I’m trying my hardest not to mess it up!

Is it mean to limit my son’s screen time?

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Is it wrong to allow my eight-year-old son unlimited time gaming?

The future is all about technology, knowing your way around a computer and being able to use one and all its programmes is vital.

He may even become a gamer or a game writer himself and earn a fortune? Thing is, if I didn’t put a limit on time, he’d be on it forever and he wouldn’t do anything else.

With that in mind, he’s limited to one-and-a-half-hours a day and his tablet only works between 3pm and 7pm, is that mean? He has to request more time and I have the control whether to give him that time or not.

Daddy the Dictator! This power I now have over him works; he now does all his jobs, without complaint!

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