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A member of the SA Police Service in Despatch recently showed that police officers can wear many hats when he rolled up his sleeves to deliver a baby.
To many of his colleagues and the community, it came as no surprise when Warrant Officer Roderick Middlekamp, 50, traded his police hat for that of a male midwife as the bundle of joy he helped bring into the world on Tuesday morning was his fourth.
Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said Middlekamp came to the aid of the pregnant mother at around 4.20am while he was busy with crime prevention patrols.
He rushed to the woman’s aid after members of the community reported that she was about to give birth at home.
“Calmly, and without hesitation, he rushed to the house in Goosen Street.
“The 31-year-old mother-to-be was already in the advanced stages of labour,” Beetge said.
Middlekamp reassured the woman that everything was going to be fine.
Five minutes later, he adroitly delivered the baby girl.
Mother and daughter were both fine and healthy by the time the ambulance arrived.
Middlekamp has more than 30 years’ service with the SAPS.
Coincidently, the four babies he helped deliver were all girls.
“When a police officer reports for duty, he or she dons the cloak of a mother, father, social worker, law enforcer and many times a gynaecologist,” Beetge said.
“Situations arise that warrant 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.”
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