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Pirates of the Caribbean parrot attacks police officer
10 Sep 2009A parrot that starred in Pirates of the Caribbean has attacked a police officer after he collared its owner for driving with the 3ft tall bird perched on her shoulder.
The blue and gold macaw called Chip, which is three feet tall from head to tail, starred alongside Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley and was the mouthpiece of Pirate Cotton in the 2003 hit movie The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Pirate Cotton, played by David Bailie, was left mute after another pirate cut out his tongue during a fight - so in the movie his character uses the parrot called to speak on his behalf.
The bearded pirate, who was the helmsman on the Black Pearl, joined Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow in the bid to rescue the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann, played by Knightley, from the cursed crew of the Black Pearl.
Chief Superintendent Steve Masters said today: "The female owner of the Mercedes van was stopped as she arrived in Dover when an officer saw the macaw on her shoulder.
"It is fair to say that the officer, PC Martin Dadd, got a bit of a pecking and had a few scratches and bites."
He said that when a relative of the arrested driver came to pick up the macaw, she revealed that the bird had starred in the hit movie.
Chf Super Masters said: "It was a bit of surprise I must admit to end up with a celebrity on our hands."
Reader views (11)
I am the Police Officer concerned in this matter. This item seems to have travelled the World via the various press agencies. I have read the various comments on this page, and I would like to make the matter clear. I was not the arresting officer, I was asked by another Police Officer who has far less service than I, and is a lot younger, to move the vehicle because it was causing an obstruction, and because he was not keen to get into the vehicle because of the Macaw. I am not a 'rookie', probationer, 'junior' officer. I am a he female driver was arrested for a VALID offence of driving a motor vehicle whilst disqualified from doing so, and in fact had been dealt with for a similar offence 12 times. The fact that she had a parrot in the vehicle, or on her shoulder had no bearing on being stopped and dealt with. Finally, I was not attacked, savaged or injured in any way, and the only thing the thing that the Macaw did to me was take hold of one of my fingers and lift it off of the steering wheel, and then let go of it. When I did start to drive the vehicle, the Macaw was not in the vehicle, until the female owner thrust the it through the opened drivers window at me. I hope that this puts the matter straight, in what appears to be an article that has been blown all out of proportion as it has travelled around the World's press.
- Martin Dadd, Deal, United Kingdom, 22/09/2009 08:25
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At a time when 6year olds get "stopped and searched" perhaps the perceptive parrot had an idea about what was about to happen.
How "silly" my Parrot (a smallish Orange Winged Amazon) sits on my shoulder for hours. It is harmless but goes bezerk if confronted by a man/men in Uniform.
Perhaps the lady should drive with a rotweiller on her shoulder next time when inquisitive coppers might decide that discretion is in order?
Having "squaaked" at a Copper my bird was accused of being a "dangerous animal" just as well it did not "evacuate" itself on him - "Assault with a deadlyPet"?
- Roy, Billericay UK, 22/09/2009 07:25
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Chip's behaviour was inexcusable, of course, but I didn't know it was an offence to drive with a parrot on your shoulder. Would it not be simpler perhaps, for all concerned, if the police just published a short list of what we ARE allowed to do? The list of things we are NOT allowed to do is getting too long to remember.
- Bloke, Lambeth, 22/09/2009 07:25
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Obviously the policeman was high up in the 'pecking order'of things and Chip felt he could make him quark!!
- Jsychris, Rugby, England, 22/09/2009 07:25
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Should send the bird to a taxi dermist for further training.
- William, Hay~Heath UK, 22/09/2009 07:25
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If the driver needs a technicality to get off on, it looks to me like a macaw, not a parrot.
(And all Pratchett fans know what happens next when you call an oran-outan a monkey).
- Nigel, London, 22/09/2009 07:25
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When the Policeman recovers he should be sent on the course in how to deal with van drivers and shoulder mounted psittacines. I am shocked and horrified that a Police officer in a busy port such as Dover has not had such training.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 22/09/2009 07:25
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The officer shouldn't have tried 2 be heroe wish the parrot messed him up really bad
- Delo, B8, 22/09/2009 07:25
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He got off lightly. Parrots should not be handled unless you know what you're doing, they can easily sever a finger.
That said, is a large compensation payment looming?
- Sarahn, London, UK, 22/09/2009 07:25
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There's a law that says you can't drive with a parrot on your shoulder?
Clearly a false arrest and the Parrot was within it's rights.
I hope it hurt.
- Thalia, London, 22/09/2009 07:25
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Pieces of Eight! Pieces of Eight!
- Chip, The Black Pearl, 22/09/2009 07:25
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