POLICE SWOOP AND SAVE ZAYDEN
‘did you A few people asked, I said, ‘yes, I get in trouble’. magpies got attacked by
POLICE officers have been praised for giving a Nerang boy a lift to school after swooping magpies blocked his way.
Zayden Rowe, 12, was walking to Nerang State High when the protective birds prevented him going further.
“I was just walking down the path I normally take to get to school but then I found this tree and there were like six magpies in it,” Zayden said. “Two babies and four adults. Then the babies just
started squawking and all of a sudden two of the magpies were flying over my head.
“I backed up until they stopped squawking but the adults were still watching me.”
Zayden was wondering how he was going to get to school when his luck suddenly changed thanks to Senior Constable Brett McClelland and Constable Sam Caldwell: “A police car came down the road with two constables in it.”
Senior Constable McClelland said they stopped after seeing Zayden “jump back”.
“He just caught me eye as he moved back,” he said. “We though he’d seen someone he didn’t like. A bully maybe.
“He said it was magpies. I said, ‘mate, jump in the car, we’ll take you to school’.”
Zayden said schoolmates were surprised to see him arrive in a police car.
“A few people saw and asked, ‘did you get in trouble or something’, and I said, ‘yes, I got attacked by magpies’.”
Zayden’s mum Jo was full of praise for the Nerang Police Station officers.
Constable Caldwell, who
has only been a constable for six weeks, said community policing was an important part of the job.
“It’s good to get out and help the community,” he said.
“I’m just a first-year constable doing my job”.
Zayden said he’d at times been a little scared when he saw a police car. But Senior Constable McClelland said young people should know police were there to help.
“Never be afraid to come to police for anything. Never be afraid to come talk to us. We’re here to help.”