Greenfield police officer on Chicago getaway nabs criminal

Off duty Greenfield officer helps capture criminal in Chicago

NEW BERLIN (WITI) -- An off-duty Greenfield police officer was on a weekend family getaway to Chicago when a reckless driver jolted the veteran detective into action Sunday evening, December 22nd.

Detective Doug Tweedie was driving down Chicago's famous Michigan Ave. around 4 p.m. when he was rear-ended by a driver who then took off running. Tweedie soon found himself in a foot chase alongside the Chicago Police Department.

"We were sitting at a stoplight in front of the John Hancock building and then I just heard a big crash and the whole van shook," said Tweedie. "It was like pinball, I guess. He hit three cars prior to hitting mine."

Tweedie's was one of four cars smashed into by the runaway driver.

After making sure his family wasn't injured, Tweedie went to check on the driver of the car that hit him.

"I started getting out of my van and figured he was hurt, and then he started walking away and that's when I realized he was going to run," recalled Tweedie.

What the detective didn't realize at the time was the driver was trying to escape a traffic stop, allegedly for smoking marijuana.

Detective Tweedie, and eventually more than a dozen Chicago officers, cornered the man in and American Girl store a few blocks from the accident.

"Cops were coming in from the side, there were several other off-duty cops, there were guns drawn and the guy gave up," Tweedie said.

Officers at the Greenfield Police Department say they weren't surprised at their colleagues actions.

"We're sworn to serve and protect and even though he was out of jurisdiction, the training just kicks in," said Greenfield Assistant Police Chief Paul Schlecht.

With the suspect in custody, the Tweedie family returned home unscathed, save for the van.

"And now my Christmas gift is the deductible for my insurance," added Tweedie.

Greenfield Police says the department does not have to file any official report since Detective Tweedie was not carrying his service revolver and never physically touched the suspect.