A seemingly routine 999 call, masked as a pizza order, turned out to be a harrowing plea for help. A sharp-witted Metropolitan Police call handler immediately recognised the hidden distress and promptly dispatched emergency services to aid the woman in need.
The police force shared audio of the call on its X account and commended the call handler for her quick thinking. The handler quickly realised the woman was in danger and instructed her to respond with single words, enabling officers to be dispatched to assist.
“Pizza Delivery,” the 999 caller said.
“Pizza Delivery? Ok, do you require pizza delivery or do you require the police? If it’s the police, say yes,” the dispatcher questioned.
“Yes,” the woman responded.
“Ok is the person that’s scaring you at the property now,” the dispatcher questioned.
“Yes,” the caller said.
“No problem, police are coming ok? Have they got any weapons, answer yes or no?” the dispatcher asked.
“No,” the caller responded.
“If he threatened to hurt you, tell me pepperoni. If he threatened to hurt the children, tell me cheese,” the dispatcher said.
“Pepperoni,” the caller specified.
“Ok, the police will be with you very very shortly, ok?” the dispatcher assured.
The caption of the post read, “Do you require a pizza delivery or the police? A heroic police emergency call handler has been commended for her quick-thinking after realising a call from a woman was in fact a disguise and an urgent call for help.”
Check out the post here:
Do you require a pizza delivery or the police?
A heroic police emergency call handler has been commended for her quick-thinking after realising a call from a woman was in fact a disguise and an urgent call for help.
🔊 Listen to the 999 call pic.twitter.com/OkY1mCKbtH
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 10, 2025
The use of calling the police and ordering a pizza as a covert distress signal gained attention following a domestic violence PSA aired during the 2018 Super Bowl.
The ad, created by No More, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault, depicts a woman calling 911 and pretending to order a pizza. Initially, the dispatcher questions whether the call is a joke. The scene then shifts to a messy apartment, briefly highlighting a hole in the wall.
As the woman continues with her “order,” the dispatcher asks if she is in an emergency, to which she responds “yes.”
The ad concludes with the poignant message: “When it’s hard to talk, it’s up to us to listen.”
