An expatriate woman’s encrypted ‘pizza order’ helped Sharjah Police save her from danger at home/representative image by Amnesty International
A Sharjah Police emergency call operator helped rescue an expatriate woman after realizing her repeated requests to “order pizza” were a coded call for help while she was being threatened at home.The incident was revealed by Captain Majid Al-Bass, Head of the Sharjah Police Communications Operations Branch, during the “Aman Ya Biladi” program, which is broadcast on Sharjah Radio in cooperation with the Sharjah Radio and Television Authority.According to Captain Al-Bass, the woman called the police emergency center, but repeatedly asked for pizza, even after being informed that she had arrived at the police and not a restaurant.Realizing something was wrong, the officer on duty, named Khamis, continued the conversation instead of hanging up. Suspecting that the caller is unable to speak freely, use the pizza order as a way to gather information while keeping her calm and connected.The officer asked her how many pizzas she wanted and what drinks she wanted, using the questions to assess the situation inside the home. The caller’s response that she wanted one pizza helped indicate that there was only one person present.
While still on the call, Khamis alerted his supervisor and initiated location tracking procedures. The police were able to locate the woman inside Sharjah and immediately sent patrol units to the address.Officers who arrived at the scene found that the woman had been threatened by her husband, who was described as being in an abnormal state. The police secured the site and ensured the woman’s safety.Captain Al-Bass said the incident highlighted the importance of specialized training for emergency call operators, especially in recognizing cryptic requests for help from people who may not be able to speak frankly.He pointed out that convincing emergency messages are an internationally recognized method used by victims who request help without alerting the person who poses a threat. He added that Sharjah Police personnel are receiving training to identify hidden behavioral and verbal signals that may indicate that a person is in danger.