It does not matter if it’s a warm, sunny summer day rescuing a cat from a tree or serving the community on a cold winter night, altruism links all law enforcement.
Sometimes an event becomes too much for one law enforcement agency to handle, and a call for help goes out. The Benicia Police Department answered the request for assistance from several law agencies when their homes, neighborhoods and cities became affected by the Wine Country fires. Thirteen officers and four dispatchers from the Benicia Police Department were sent to aid law enforcement agencies affected by the fires. These law enforcement officials were allotted 320 committed hours to assist in any way they could and will continue to do so until at least today.
“It’s an ever-evolving situation, but we are ready to help out in any form that we can,” Irma Widjojo, a management analyst for the Police Department said.
This help from Benicia comes mutual aid agreement in Solano County. Any time a city in Solano asks for aid, their neighboring police or fire department will answer the call for help. The Benicia police have answered the call and come to the assistance of their fellow cities.
“I think we as law enforcement, as a part of first responders, we are ready when there is any type of need of us in any type of capacity,” Widjojo said. “Every agency is prepared to help out one another if needed, and there are bodies available for us to help.”
A few years ago when Butte County was affected by fires, the Benicia police sent several of their officers to aid law enforcement and first responders there.
“We are here to help anyone who needs extra help, especially for something like this that’s so tragic,” Widjojo said. “I think everyone just needs to put aside any kinds of difference and be ready to help out, not just law enforcement agencies, but anyone in the community.”
Widjojo thinks it has been very heartwarming to see how the community has stepped up and offered strangers affected by the fire money, food and shelter. She said that like communities, law enforcement is always ready to help out when needed.
“A person in need is a person in need,” she said.

Sharing is caring!