Sergeant Dylan Hannah-Jones was out patrolling one night last month in Queenstown. It was a grim night as the snowy winter experienced in Queenstown this year was putting on a last show for winter.
Sgt Hannah-Jones said not much was happening in Queenstown so he decided to head out to Hanley’s Farm.
Hanley's Farm is nestled between the Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu.
‘‘The snow was quite heavy and about 3am I decided to head to Hanley’s Farm to have a look. I did a couple of loops and then I saw a car with its headlights on,’’ he said.
‘‘There was a couple there and they were getting into their car. So I rolled down the window and asked if I could help. They said ‘‘we are off to have a baby.’’
‘‘So I said is there anything I can do, any way I can help. And the guy looked at me and sort of said ‘I’ve got everything under control.’ But I’m a dad of two, I know what it is like to have your first baby. So I offered to give them an escort and help them get to hospital.’’
The couple — Sherie and Mike Gibb — took up the offer.
So Sgt Hannah-Jones turned his Holden Commodore police car round and guided the couple, following close behind all the way, to Lakes District Hospital.
The couple went into the hospital and the job for Sgt Hannah-Jones was done. It had a happy ending when the Gibbs’ daughter Evelyn was born.
The policeman and the happy family met up recently to discuss their middle-of-the-night escapade and Sgt Hannah-Jones gave Evelyn a soft toy police puppy dog.
The Gibbs could not be contacted.
