Becoming a police officer demands agile dexterity, mammoth
strength and big balls of steel, which is why it’s no wonder so few
of us ever achieve such an esteemed status. And besides us humans,
the only other mammal allowed to patrol the streets is the
domesticated canine, aka the dog. This fact has recently changed,
however, thanks to Santisuk the monkey.
Santisuk Phromdao is a pig-tailed macaque monkey from Sai Buri
district, Patttani province, southern Thailand. Although only five
years old, Santisuk patrols the streets of Thailand everyday
dressed in a blazer with the words ‘Monkey Police’ laced across
it.
According to Thailand’s Nation newspaper, Santisuk was
adopted by Pol Col Yutthapol Phromdao Yutthapol, who, after
discovering the injured monkey at a local clinic, recruited him
into his squad, thereby turning the simple-minded primate into the
first-ever monkey cop.
Satisuk’s tour of duty began at a local checkpoint, where
Yutthapol taught him how to collect coconuts and other fruits from
locals by enticing him with bottles of delectable Vitamilk. Soon
afterward, Satisuk’s duties grew from mundane tasks into
full-fledged public relations.
For you see, the checkpoint, one of many installed by the Thai
government in response to recent attacks by Islamic separatist
insurgents, was angering motorists who sought only to reach their
destination as quickly as possible.
By introducing Satisuk to his checkpoint, Yutthapol
inadvertently calmed tensions between local police and the public.
The amusing diversion—the public could take pictures or play with
the furry flatfoot, instead of sitting idly by and ranting/raving
about the long wait—helped calm motorists, thereby serving as a
public relation ploy, per se, although that certainly wasn’t
Yutthapol’s original intent.
Satisuk hopefully is one of many future monkey cops to come, as
the concept of improving public relations by putting a monkey
police officer on the beat has inspired other departments to also
try and follow suit.
As for Satisuk, he’s having the time of life. According to
Yutthapol, he can be found sitting in a nearby chair, nodding his
head, winking, and even monkey-talking to passing motorists.