Aberdeen armed officers have described the “surreal” moment they were called to an unusual job at a north-east roundabout – to deliver a baby on the back seat of a car.
Two officers raced to a Bridge of Don roundabout on Monday morning after an urgent call from the couple who were on their way to hospital after the mum-to-be had gone into labour.
Officers Matthew Pirie and Marcus Di Meola had just clocked on for their Monday morning shift in Aberdeen when they were dispatched to Murcar roundabout following the frantic calls of the soon-to-be-parents.
Initially, the PCs planned to escort the two frantic couple to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, but when baby Katie decided to come earlier than expected the officers had to think fast.
Just 30-seconds away from the couple in their police car, the officers received an update that the parents had been forced to pull up on the A92 roundabout.
“We pulled up and made a very quick assessment as to what the circumstances were at that point, to which mum was very much in the advanced stages of labour,” PC Di Meola recalls.
“Dad was doing a really good job at the time – extremely calm but no doubt panicking inside.”
‘I stepped in a delivered the baby’
PC Di Meola had to step in and deliver baby Katie when the labour began to progress.
“It came to a stage during the delivery where dad wasn’t confident,” he said. “At which point I stepped in and pretty much delivered the baby.
“From there on it was just a case of giving support and reassurance to both mum and dad.”
All in all, the “magical moment” was over within 15 minutes before officers closed the road briefly at 8.30am to give baby Katie and her parents, who wish to remain anonymous, some privacy.
During this time PC Pirie, 33, and Di Meola, 36, were able to update an eagerly waiting control room on the sex of the baby, saying that this kind of call “doesn’t happen too often.”
‘It is a very magical moment’
After the early morning commotion, PC Di Meola, who delivered baby Katie, said that the delivery was a career highlight to date.
He said: “In hindsight I feel privileged to be part of the experience. I don’t think words can describe the birth of a child, it is a very magical moment.
“But at the time I was very focused, we had a job to do by making sure both mum and baby were okay.
“It is a very special thing and obviously I am delighted that everything turned out well.
“Matt got awfully emotional. It is not what we expected on a Monday morning coming from a weekend off.
“If we are going to talk about career highlights for my career so far, it is definitely something special.”
PC Pirie, who had the job of telling the mum-to-be she was doing a great job, said: “You do get a lump in your throat when you see the dad who was in tears.
“It hadn’t gone to plan as to what they had in their head – the whole situation was so unexpected and with the birth of any child is great.
“To be a part of it is an absolute privilege. It was a great experience overall and ultimately we are just happy that we could help.
#NotJustCrime Our officers were in the right place at the right time this morning in #Aberdeen when a baby girl made a slightly earlier than expected arrival. The ARV officers safely delivered the baby & provided first aid until the arrival of ambulance colleagues shortly after.
— Police Scotland Armed Policing (@PolScotArmed) August 2, 2021
Speaking of the unexpected arrival of baby Katie, her proud parents said: “Never did we think while writing a birth plan that a roadside delivery could be an option and we are sure for Marcus and Matthew it was the last job they expected to attend on a Monday morning.
“We are so grateful Marcus and Matthew got there so quickly. It was a huge relief to have other people there for the delivery to keep us calm and reassure us.
“We were delighted that the two of them came to visit us in hospital afterwards to check how we all were and honoured that they gifted Katie one of their Armed Policing Operations badges.”