Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush helped arrest an offender armed with a chisel in Melbourne CBD on his way to work.
Bush, the former Commissioner of New Zealand Police who has led Victoria Police for just over a year, said he and a colleague were travelling along Collins St when they spotted two officers pursuing a man wanted in connection with an incident.
"We saw a couple of our fine colleagues pursuing someone who was obviously a threat to the community," Bush told Australian media.
The chief commissioner said they pulled alongside the man and instructed him to stop, but he ignored their requests and continued on foot.
"They didn't take us up on our invitation verbally to remain where they were," he said.
Bush then got out of the vehicle and physically restrained the man until the pursuing officers caught up.
"I got out of the vehicle and put my arms around him and restrained him until my colleagues arrived, and he was arrested," he said.
Asked whether it was a rugby-style tackle, Bush joked he had considered "going low", but it was not necessary.
"I'm not sure who got the biggest fright, the person we were restraining or my two colleagues who looked up and saw who was assisting them," he said.
"As I was very close to approaching him, he discarded a sharp weapon, which turned out to be a chisel, and another instrument that he might be able to use for breaking and entering cars or homes," he said.
"He relieved himself of those two things at about the same time he met me."
Bush said helping frontline officers was simply part of the job, regardless of rank.
"We're police officers first and bosses second. When you see your colleagues needing some support, you jump straight in."
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