The actions of an off-duty Ironton police officer this week just goes to show that law enforcement is a 24-hour a day job and you can’t always leave work at the office.

Thanks to officer John Hammonds, a man who was wanted for allegedly driving with meth labs in his vehicle was arrested. Hammonds spotted the suspect while he was off duty and spending time with his own family.

Because of the officer’s vigilant eye, the Ironton Police Department was able to make a quick arrest in a case with very serious charges.

Meth is becoming more and more of a problem in Lawrence County, as seen recently with the bust of a home in Willow Wood where more than 40 shake-and-bake meth labs were allegedly found.

The man arrested in Ironton this week was allegedly driving his car the wrong way down a one-way street with the remnant of two mobile labs in tow.

Not only is meth a combination of dangerous chemicals to put in one’s body, but the mere ingredients are extremely volatile once combined and pose a significant risk to the community. Even after meth is “cooked,” the chemicals can still remain active.

For a person to drive around the community with these chemicals in his or her car is like a ticking time bomb. It puts everyone at risk.

Bravo to the Ironton Police Department for apprehending this suspect quickly, and also to all the other law enforcement departments working to rid the county of dangerous drugs.