Boy Calls 911 for Help with Homework

By: Lourdes G. Mon

 

As a retired school principal, every time I hear about a young kid, in this case a 10-year, thinks of a creative way to get help with his homework is incredible. It took place in Shawano County, Wisconsin, where the sheriff’s office was notified of a 911 call by the boy. He stated that his family ‘wasn’t very good at math either’ and he needed help.
Deputy Sheriff Chase Mason
Deputy Sheriff Chase Mason responded to the call boy’s call and together they were able to solve a decimal-related math problem. The deputy wasn’t too confident with his math skills, but he wanted to ‘give it a shot.’
Sheriff George Lenzner said, “I am very proud to have officers like him in our office that will go above and beyond their duties. Thank you, Deputy Mason, for taking time out of your day to be a friend to this young man!” According to the department, the responding officer, Deputy Chase Mason, wrote in his report that he wasn’t “overly proficient when it comes to math either but nonetheless, I responded to assist.” Fortunately, the police said that Officer Mason and the child were ultimately able to solve a “decimal related math problem.”
Deputy Mason recalled meeting the child during his response to the 911 call. “He came right to the door to meet me, then I walked into the house and sat down by the kitchen table. He had his math out all ready for me. He pointed out exactly which ones he needed help with.” In the end, the helpful officer gave a business card to the child, encouraging him to call if he ever needed help — but added that “next time he should probably use the non-emergency line if it’s not a life-threatening situation.” Still, the sheriff’s office said the incident provided a great teaching moment.
Kim Krause, the 911 dispatcher who received the call described the boy’s request as sincere.
The boy said, “Ma‘am, I know I’m not supposed to be calling 911 for this, but I really could use some help with my homework. Officer Krause asked, “Well, what can I help you with?” He said it’s math. She kind of paused, having been out of school for 40 years. “I don’t know if I can help you with this, but we’ll find somebody.”
Sheriff Lenzner praised Deputy Mason, adding that he oversees the department’s cadet program for young adults between the ages of 14 and 20 who are interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.
“Chase is a great officer I am very proud to have officers like this in our office that will go above and beyond their duties. When we look for new officers we look for officers that will communicate well with the public. We like to do a lot of community activities within our County and have a very good relationship with our citizens of Shawano County.”
Lonely Boy Calls 911
Officer Joe White of the Tallahassee Police Department in Florida, responded to an emergency call from a smart and creative 6-year-old boy who dialed 911 without his family’s knowledge because he was in need of some friendly company.
A spokesman from the department praised Officer White for acting as a mentor to the boy and using their time together as a teachable
moment. “Officer White did a phenomenal job answering this 911 call and using it as an opportunity to be a positive mentor. He understood
the caller was a child who needed a buddy or a friend to understand.
He took the time to make the interaction a teaching moment for the use of 911, too. Officer White helped tie the child’s sneakers and walked with him to the patrol car so he could work the blue lights.”
Another police representative continued, “Officer White gave him a stuffed animal and they chatted about how to call 911 and now that they were friends, Officer White would stop by to check on him.”
It was a great moment to develop an important relationship. The child’s mother and older brother were there but there is a large age gap between the child and his brother. They did not know he called 911. The child knew by calling 911, he’d have a friend and he did!
The police department added: “He knows now to call 911 only in case of a true emergency but also knows Officer White and other officers will be right there if he needs them just to talk.”
In these days, many communities are losing their police and sheriff departments for one reason or another. Based on these stories, the citizens of Shawano County, Wisconsin, and Talahasee, Florida are lucky for exceptional, caring and commendable sheriff and police departments.

 

Officer Joe White and child who called 911