A Cop With Heart: SGPD Officer Takes Time For Local Boy

Emergency dispatchers in Southern Utah have a tough job when a call comes in and then the caller hangs up.

What could it be? A prank? A kid on Mom's phone? A misdial? A real emergency with a perpetrator cutting off the call? A deadly fire?

So when a call came in recently to St. George dispatch, and it turned out to be a 911 hang-up, there were some concerned dispatchers at the other end.

Upon callback, they were happy to learn everyone was O.K. As it turns out, the owner of the phone that made the call has an autistic son who just wanted to talk to a first responder.

Enter St. George Police Department Officer Vincent Lusk.

Instead of scolding the citizen or the autistic young man, Lusk decided to take a little time to make a positive imprint on this family's minds.

Lusk took the time to meet with the boy and even gave him a coveted SGPD coin -- for those that don't know, coin trading is huge with police officers. Officers often take coins with them while they travel and swap with other agencies. It's a fun hobby for many police officers.

One commenter on social media, Shannon G, summed up the experience well; "Thank you St George PD for hiring the best of the best and to this officer for making a little boy's wish come true!"

Another commenter, Karen F, said it's a good reminder of programs that are already in place: "As the mom of an adult child with autism, I appreciate this so much. If you have a child on the spectrum, did you know you can let the local PDs know, so they have information at hand? I think it takes some of the fear of police encounters away, for both of us. Thank you Officer Lusk."

For more information, contact the St. George Police Department at 435-627-4300.