A girl called 911 pretending to order a pizza, which is a recognized covert distress signal used by victims of domestic abuse or other emergencies unable to speak openly. The police call handler quickly realized the disguised emergency and immediately asked yes-or-no questions to assess the situation without alerting any potential threat nearby.
When officers arrived at the home, they found signs of a domestic violence situation, which explained the girl's need to secretly call for help. The quick thinking of the dispatcher and the girl’s coded communication allowed the police to intervene and prevent further harm.
This strategy gained attention after a domestic violence PSA aired during the 2018 Super Bowl, and while not widely known to all dispatchers, it has been effectively used in rare cases to save lives. It highlights the importance of awareness, training, and vigilance among emergency responders.