A seemingly ordinary 999 call disguised as a pizza order became a desperate cry for help. A perceptive Metropolitan Police call handler immediately recognized the caller’s distress and swiftly coordinated an emergency response to assist the woman in danger.
The police shared the call audio on their X account, praising the handler’s astute reaction. Realizing the woman’s peril, the handler cleverly instructed her to use simple affirmatives to communicate, enabling a quick dispatch of police officers.
During the call, the woman masqueraded her plea for help by requesting “Pizza Delivery.”
“Pizza Delivery? Ok, do you need pizza delivery, or do you need the police? If it’s the police, say yes,” the dispatcher inquired.
“Yes,” the woman replied.
“Is the person scaring you currently in the property?” the dispatcher continued.
“Yes,” confirmed the caller.
“No problem, the police are on their way. Do they have any weapons? Just answer yes or no,” the dispatcher asked.
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“No,” the caller answered.
“If he threatened to hurt you, say ‘pepperoni’. If he threatened the children, say ‘cheese’,” instructed the dispatcher.
“Pepperoni,” the caller indicated.
“The police will be with you very shortly, okay?” the dispatcher assured.
The post caption highlighted the handler’s heroism: “Do you require a pizza delivery or the police? A heroic police emergency call handler has been commended for her quick thinking after realizing that a call from a woman was, in fact, a disguise and an urgent call for help.”
This method of discreetly signalling distress gained prominence after a domestic violence PSA during the 2018 Super Bowl. Created by No More, an organization dedicated to combating domestic violence and sexual assault, the ad shows a woman pretending to order a pizza while signalling an emergency. Initially sceptical, the dispatcher soon understands her situation, emphasizing, “When it’s hard to talk, it’s up to us to listen.”
