Cape Town - An Eastern Cape police officer seems to have found another calling as a midwife, after he delivered his fourth baby.
Warrant Officer Roderick Middelkamp, aged 50, has been with the South African Police Service (Saps) for over 30 years, and has delivered four baby girls while based at the Despatch station.
According to provincial police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge, the men and women in blue emerge victorious by showing a ‘we can do it’ attitude.
“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,” Beetge said.
“It would seem that playing ’doctor’ and delivering babies while in police uniform appear to be part of W/O Roderick Middelkamp’s daily routine. For the fourth time, Saps Despatch’s brave police officer came to the aid of a pregnant mother during the early hours of Monday morning.”
He said at about 4.20am, while conducting crime prevention patrols in the area, Middelkamp was contacted by a member of the community who urgently sought his assistance as a woman was about to give birth at home.
The dedicated police officer without hesitation rushed to the house on Goosen Street. Upon arriving at the address, he found that the 31-year-old woman was already in an advanced stage of labour.
Middelkamp remained calm and assured the mother-to-be everything would work out.
Within five minutes he had delivered a baby girl.
By the time paramedics arrived at the scene, the new mother and baby were fine and in a stable condition.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL