A POLICE officer has released footage of him chasing down a suspect...and praised the man for moving away from a possible life of crime.

Colchester-based constable Mark Jones posted footage taken from his bodycam online which shows him sprinting after a man who was running away from officers.

PC Jones was responding to a call about drug activity in George Williams Way, Colchester, when the man ran off but was eventually caught in nearby Magdalen Street, despite him hopping onto the bonnet of a car in queuing traffic.

The man was searched, found to be in possession of herbal cannabis and dealt with at the scene for possession of a class B drug.

No reports of criminal damage were made about any cars.

But PC Jones said there was more to the man’s character than simply his offending and said it was a good example of building bridges between the police and young people.

He said: “The young man involved was actually very respectful and polite once caught, he immediately admitted the offence, apologised for running away, and was eager to cooperate with us afterwards.

“He had committed an offence on this day, and he was dealt with for that, but there is a lot more to his life and character.

“The evidence shows us that young males in their adolescent years are particularly ‘crime-prone’, but most learn their own way out of crime without heavily punitive police involvement, which is often counter productive to achieving recidivism.

“The biggest challenge we have nationally in the area of youth policing is our relationship with young people, and in the current context of knife crime, improving our dialogue and interaction with young people will be crucial.

“This male was given some rehabilitative drug engagement to complete and the way that we dealt with the situation improved his view of the police.”

PC Jones said the pair had now built up a rapport and laugh about their first meeting and the chase when they bump into one another in the town centre.

He added: “I occasionally see him and his friends around the town and he comes over and says hello and reminisces about the foot chase.

“His friends of course take the mickey out of him for being caught, and he has joked that he will join a gym and stop smoking so he can run for longer.”