A Portland, Oregon, police officer was recently pursuing a traffic violator with lights on and sirens blaring, but put his mission on hold to -- wait for it -- help a mother duck and her ducklings in the middle of the road.

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

The dashcam on Officer Mark James' cruiser captures the chase and the interruption by what one commenter called "duck accomplices":

"The duck family was escorted safely to water in a ditch and swam away," the video stated.

Then James was back to work but the violator likely was long gone.

(H/T: Gawker)