October 23, 2026 – Merced CHP officials tell the story of a 911 call in California. A person in crisis more than 5,000 miles away in Ireland. And one CHP dispatcher who wasn’t about to give up.

At 1:24 a.m. on July 14, CHP Public Safety Dispatcher Chad Lascheck answered a 911 call from someone desperately worried about a friend who was experiencing a mental health crisis.

There was just one problem. That friend was in the County of Westmeath, Ireland.

Most people wouldn’t know where to begin. Chad got to work.

He attempted to contact the Irish Embassy in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., but couldn’t get through. Rather than stop there, he reached out to INTERPOL, explained the situation, and provided the information needed to get authorities involved overseas.

At 4:33 a.m., just over three hours after the initial call, Chad received word from INTERPOL that Irish police had located the individual and determined that a mental health evaluation was necessary.

A call that started in California had reached someone halfway around the world.

We often recognize the officers who respond to emergencies in person, but the men and women answering 911 calls are just as much a part of the lifesaving work happening every day.

Chad, thank you for reminding us that compassion doesn’t stop at jurisdictional boundaries, and that sometimes the person making the biggest difference is someone you’ll never meet.

There’s another important part of this story worth remembering. Someone was worried about a friend and made the decision to reach out for help. That phone call set everything in motion.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

You never know how far one phone call might reach.

Thank you to INTERPOL for their role in helping bring this situation to a safe intervention.

Source & photos: Merced CHP