Another "police action" that deserves coverage

When 6-year-old Hayden Williams was terrified of sleeping alone in his new bedroom, his mom Amanda tried everything, but nothing worked. Hayden refused to sleep alone for fear of being attacked by monsters he believed lurked in the new house. "He begged me to call the police," wrote Amanda a few months ago, so she took him to the police station hoping an officer could ease his fears.

She was concerned that officers at the Eldridge Police Department would look down on her for such a "silly" request, but Hayden was almost immediately befriended by Officer Bruce Schwartz. After hearing Hayden's story, he visited the family home to reassure him there were no villains hiding in the closets. His inspection was just what Hayden needed. The very next morning, Hayden awoke at 7 a.m. and proudly told his mom he made it alone through the night. Officer Schwartz returned that morning to check up on Hayden as his mom was snapping some photos. She published them on Facebook, adding that "It truly takes a village to raise a kid these days, and I'm beyond thankful that Officer Schwartz took time out of his busy day to come over and talk with Hayden."