A Turtle’s Slow Journey Gets A Police Escort In Windham, Maine

Detective Lee Maher of the Windham Police Department spotted something on the road that made him come to a stop and turn on his red and blue lights. At first, he didn't think it was moving, but then he came to realize what it was.

Turtle Crossing the Road

This is not the turtle in question in the above photo, but they move so slowly across the road, someone would have plenty of time to get out and snap a picture. But, safety first, right?

Detective Lee Maher shared the details of the encounter with said turtle on Pope Road in Windham on June 21:

At approximately 7:30 pm, I was traveling Northbound on Pope Road in the area of #221. While I was traveling at a slow speed, I saw something in the distance. At first, it looked like a rock in the middle of the road, but as I got closer, it moved.

It was a turtle.

I slowed to a stop, activated my emergency lights, and exited my vehicle. It was not a large turtle, maybe the size of a cereal bowl, but it was determined to get across Pope Road inch by inch. I identified the turtle as a non-threatening species, commonly known as a "Painted Turtle," and determined that assistance was appropriate to ensure its safety.

I carefully approached the turtle and provided an escort to the opposite side of the roadway, in the direction it had been traveling. Once the turtle reached the brush and safely disappeared from view, I returned to my patrol vehicle and resumed my duties.

Detective Lee J Maher

Well done, Detective Maher. I'm going to guess that turtle took about 10 minutes or so to get to the other side of the road. This is just another fine example of how the Windham Police Department keeps everyone safe, including slow-moving turtles.