Sign of spring: Anne Arundel police help ducklings cross busy street

Anne Arundel County police quacked a travel hazard Saturday, helping a mother duck and her ducklings cross a busy street in Hanover.

At around 12:30 p.m., officers responded to Arundel Mills Circle for a crosswalk violation, police said in a social media post. Officers located a mother duck trying to cross the roadway, a usually busy street that leads to Arundel Mills mall and Live! Casino & Hotel.

Drivers were stopping as ducks split up, some crossing and others hesitating in the road. Officers went out to get them across the street and to a nearby pond, said Sgt. Cam Cooke, police spokesperson.

Some passing motorists and passersby helped the officers, and working together they were able to corral some of the ducks while others hid in nearby bushes, Cooke said.

The ducklings were all put in a box and them moved to the pond.

None of the birds were injured during this incident.

“We certainly don’t receive calls like this often but the opportunity was there to help,” Cooke said. “It’s not like we aren’t busy with other things however at times we can see the importance of taking an extra minute to lend assistance.”

Cooke said community policing is what they do and they are committed to assisting when and where they can.

“I’m sure officers felt a great sense of satisfaction and especially with the other citizens that were able to lend a hand and help. It is an awesome situation when we can resolve something minor that could have been a big deal of the ducks were hit,” Cooke added.