Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal becomes police officer

MIAMI - In Miami Beach, the extremely long arm of the law is attached to a 7-foot-1-inch (216cm), 147kg basketball superstar.

Shaquille O'Neal, the Miami Heat centre regarded as one of the world's best players, was sworn in on Thursday as a reserve police officer with the Miami Beach Police Department.

O'Neal, who has long been interested in a crime-fighting career and wants to become a police chief someday, has a uniform, badge, gun and the power to make arrests.

He worked as a reserve officer in Los Angeles during his years with the Lakers and has been training in Miami Beach since his trade to the Heat in July 2004.

O'Neal won't be put on street patrol - an enormous world-famous athlete in a police uniform might be a distraction - so he is working in the detective bureau on child exploitation crimes.

"He made it quite clear he didn't want to be used for photo ops and recruitment work when he came here," Miami Beach Police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said.

"He wanted to get down and dirty."

In September, O'Neal witnessed an assault on a gay couple and followed the suspects in his vehicle while calling for backup and flagging down a passing police car, Hernandez said. His actions resulted in an arrest.

O'Neal, who earns about US$20 million ($28.86 million) a year as a National Basketball Association star, must do a minimum of 20 hours work a month, when he's not busy with his other job, Hernandez said.

As a reserve officer, he has all the law enforcement powers of a full-time officer.

"The only difference between a regular police officer and reserve is I get paid and he doesn't," Hernandez said.

- REUTERS