An aspiring police officer in the Boston area didn’t hesitate to alert the authorities after he thought that a civilian broke the law — even though the civilian in question was his father.
Six-year-old Robbie Richardson made a call to 911 after his father, Michael Richardson, turned right on a red light on a trip to the car wash. Robbie told the Quincy police that he knew that red lights meant “stop,” and had even warned his father that he was going to call 911.
The older Richardson told his son that turning right on red was legal, but the pint-sized police hopeful wasn’t convinced, so he proceeded to call the authorities, making sure to note his emergency succinctly:”Daddy went past a red light.”
The Quincy police station posted the hilarious audio from the call on its Facebook page Wednesday, along with the caption, “Every day we answer numerous 911 calls. Often times, these calls are from individuals who are in need of immediate assistance. Sometimes, it’s a simple misdial. Then there’s Robert’s 9-1-1 call.”
Robbie told the media that he still wants to be a police officer when he grows up, to uphold the law — something he’s still not sure his father does.
As he told the Boston Globe, “Everyone follows the rules, but not my daddy.”
You can listen to the full audio of Robbie’s call below.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com