In Shawano County, Wisconsin, a 10-year-old boy made a desperate 911 call seeking help with his math homework, a subject that has been a headache for many students. Despite knowing that calling 911 for such a reason is inappropriate, the police still sent an officer to assist him in completing his assignment.
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook on November 19th, revealing that a 10-year-old boy had called 911 for help. The boy admitted that he couldn’t solve his math homework, and since his family members were not good at math either, he needed assistance.
Sheriff George Lenzner of Shawano County revealed in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the dispatcher, Kim Krause, who was on duty at the time, spoke with the boy and despite emphasizing that emergency calls are not intended for homework assistance, she still offered to help.
She said, “Dear, my math skills are not the best, but I can try. What is the problem?” However, after the boy explained his math problem, she realized she might not be able to solve it.
Lenzner mentioned that while the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office serves around 42,000 mostly rural residents, and they are typically very busy, Krause expressed willingness to check if there was an officer near the boy’s location who could assist. Luckily, Deputy Chase Mason was nearby and available to go help the boy.
Lenzner admitted that it was not a usual task for the police force, but Mason, who was free at the time and in the vicinity, volunteered to provide assistance. Mason has a stepson around the same age as the boy, making it easier for him to help the boy with his math problem.
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook that Mason gave the boy a business card, advising him to call if he needed help in the future. Mason also mentioned that unless there is a life-threatening situation, emergency calls should not be made.
Lenzner expressed pride in Mason’s assistance and mentioned that police officers and staff occasionally help others in the community, even in non-emergency situations such as clearing snow from a neighbor’s driveway or installing new mailboxes.
He said, “It is the duty of the police to assist people, especially young individuals. I don’t want our youth to fear law enforcement. I want them to understand that law enforcement is here to help them.”
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