An elderly Northland couple called the cops on themselves 10 times in five months. Sometimes, the husband would call with health-related questions. Other times, the wife was calling for help resolving a marital spat.
Kansas City police officers J.D. Pettey and Philip Sipple responded to each call. The husband was usually drunk when the officers arrived, they noted, and the wife appeared to have a hoarding problem. Rather than ignoring the couple's obvious issues, the cops did something innovative: They helped.
According to the KCPD, Sipple and Pettey found that the husband was a World War II veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and were able to enroll him in a free treatment program. They also found treatment for the wife's hoarding issues, helped clean the property, and made the couple some money after selling half a ton of recyclable material from the home. A tire company agreed to haul away old tires and wheels from the couple's yard for free. The cops also got the folks back in contact with their former church for future assistance and with state agencies who could provide them with discounted groceries.
The couple hasn't had to call the cops on themselves since.
This morning, Pettey and Sipple received honors from Police Chief Jim Corwin in an awards ceremony at police headquarters.
Other award recipients included:
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