When a 5-year-old called 911 Sunday to order a Happy Meal, a Mesa police officer came to his rescue.

The 5-year-old child, identified by the Mesa Police Department only as Charlie because he's a minor, dialed 911 Sunday and asked the dispatcher if he was calling McDonald's, according to a copy of the 911 calls provided to The Arizona Republic on Wednesday.

When asked by the dispatcher, Anthony Bonilla, if there was an emergency, Charlie asked if he could get one Happy Meal before hanging up.

In a follow-up call, Bonilla spoke with Charlie's father, who said there was no emergency and that his kids must've had his phone.

"It kinda made my day," Bonilla told Charlie's father. "He was asking me if I was McDonald's and if he could get a Happy Meal."

Bonillalater told Charlie's father that an officer would head to their home for a welfare check and that "maybe he'll stop by McDonald's."

Officer Randolph "Scott" Valdez arrived about 2 p.m. at the Mesa home near McKellips and Ellsworth roads to ensure there was no emergency, the Mesa Police Department wrote Wednesday in a Facebook post.

He also "took some time" to teach Charlie about when it's appropriate to call the police, the post says.

And, of course, Valdez brought Charlie a Happy Meal.

Police said Charlie’s mother initially shared the story on social media.

"We are very proud of how Officer Valdez and Dispatcher Anthony Bonilla responded. They showed compassion and concern for a young Mesa community member and turned this encounter into a teaching moment," Chief Ramon Batista said in a statement to The Republic.

"Officer Valdez took time with this young boy, to share the importance of 911 and its proper use for emergencies only,'' he said. "It’s another example of the character and strength of our Mesa Police Department. It’s our hope that this positive encounter with the Mesa Police Department will make a lasting impression with Charlie and the rest of our Mesa community.”

Detective Nik Rasheta, a department spokesman, said the agency doesn't have statistics about how often children call the police department but they "do call from time to time." He confirmed that placing a Happy Meal order is not a common occurrence.

The Mesa Police Department shared a photo of Valdez and Charlie, with a Happy Meal in hand, on its Facebook page, which the agency said was provided to them by Charlie's mother.

Reach the reporter at chelsea.curtis@arizonarepublic.com or follow her on Twitter @curtis_chels.

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