A police officer had to deal with a bizarre first after an escaped emu became a law unto itself – necessitating its “arrest”.
Corporal Keisler encountered the emu after responding to a call for a missing animal.
The police officer attempted to restrain and secure the emu, but after a flurry of kicks and scratches, the bird was able to make a run for it.
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“In my 25 years, I’ve never handcuffed an emu,” Cpl Keisler said in a statement shared by Need To Know.
“This is definitely a new one.”
Following a short foot chase, the bird was cornered – and after creating a makeshift lasso, Cpl Keisler attempted once more to grab it.
This time the bird had nowhere to run and was successfully restrained, preventing further harm from its sharp talons.
According to a social post released about the escaped emu, the bird was secured safely and without harm, and was reunited with it’s owners, who then returned home without any issues.
Officers joked: “All criminal charges against the emu were dropped.”
Native to Australia, emus can grow up to 6ft 3in tall and can sprint at up to 30mph.
The incident occurred on 9 January at County Road 13, St Johns in Jacksonville, Florida.
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