• The Shawano County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin was notified of a 911 call made by a 10-year-old boy who was having trouble with math.
• Deputy Chase Mason responded to the call and together they were able to solve a “math problem related to decimals.”
• “I am very proud to have officers like this in our office who will go above and beyond the call of duty,” Shawano County Sheriff George Lenzner told PEOPLE in a statement.

A 10-year-old Wisconsin boy asked for help with his math homework in a very unusual way: by calling 911.

According to a press release published Tuesday, November 19, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office said they received a 911 call from a boy asking for help with his class assignment last week.

“He said his family ‘wasn’t very good at math either’ and he needed help,” they added.

According to the department, the responding officer, Deputy Chase Mason, wrote in his report that he was also not “very proficient in math,” but “nevertheless, I responded to help.”

Fortunately, police said Mason and the child were eventually able to solve a “math problem related to decimals.”

They said afterward, the deputy gave the child a business card, encouraging him to call if he needed help — but they added that “next time he should probably use the line non-urgent if the situation does not endanger his life.

Still, the sheriff’s office said the incident was a great teaching moment.

“Thank you, Assistant Mason, for taking the time to be this young man’s friend!” » they wrote.

In an interview with ABC affiliate WBAYMason remembers meeting the child while responding to the 911 call.

“He came right to the door to meet me, and then I came into the house and sat down by the kitchen table,” Mason told WBAY. “He had prepared his calculations for me. He pointed out exactly which ones he needed help with.

Never miss a story: subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Kim Krause, the 911 dispatcher who received the call Friday, Nov. 15, called the boy’s request sincere.

“He said, ‘Ma’am, I know I’m not supposed to call 911 for this, but I could really use some help with my homework,'” Krause told the outlet, “I asked, ‘Hey well, what can I help you with? and he said it was math and I was like ‘uhh’ I’ve been out of school for 40 years, so I’m like, “I don’t know if.” I can help you with that, but we’ll find someone.”

In a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday, Nov. 21, Shawano County Sheriff George Lenzner praised his deputy, adding that Mason oversees the department’s cadet program for young adults ages 14 to 20 who are interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

“Chase is an excellent officer,” Lenzner wrote. “I am very proud to have officers like this in our office who will go above and beyond the call of duty. When we are looking for new agents, we look for agents who will communicate well with the public. We enjoy doing many community activities in our county and have very good relationships with our citizens in Shawano County.