‘I think this was lifesaving’: Police chief praises emergency dispatcher who took Paul Pelosi’s secret 911 call

Speaker’s husband talked in code to emergency dispatcher who sent police to San Francisco house

An emergency dispatcher who took a secret 911 call by Paul Pelosi from his San Francisco home to alert law enforcement that he was being attacked has been praised for saving his life.

Chief William Scott of the San Francisco Police Department told a Friday evening press conference that the quick-thinking actions of the dispatcher had been crucial in ensuring a fast response to Nancy Pelosi’s home where her husband was violently attacked by an intruder.

Mr Pelosi was beaten with a hammer in the shocking incident and is now recovering after successful surgery to repair a fractured skull at San Francisco General Hospital.

Before he was attacked he called 911 and left the line open as he talked to the man who had broken into his house, officials say.

Mr Pelosi was talking in code and gave enough details so that the operator listening in would understand that the caller was in trouble. The dispatcher could hear what Mr Pelosi was talking about and dispatched police to check on the house, who arrived within three minutes.

The San Francisco Police Department charged David Depape, 42, a resident of Berkeley, California, with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and “several, several other additional felonies.” Mr Depape also reportedly attempted to tie up Mr Pelosi.

“We know that this was not a random act this was intentional and it is wrong. Our elected officials are here to do the business of their cities, their counties, their states, and this nation. Their families don’t sign up for this, to be harmed. And it is wrong. And everybody should be disgusted about what happened this morning,” Chief William Scott of the San Francisco Police Department told reporters.

David DePape, right, pictured in San Francisco in 2013 (AP)

“We are not at the point where we can say what the motive is publicly – but we know that it was intentional.”

Chief Scott confirmed that Mr Pelosi had been hit “at least once” with the hammer and that he had broken into the couple’s home through a back door.

He went on to thank the dispatcher for her “intuition and quick thinking.”

“She figured out there was something more to what she was being told, her actions resulted in a higher priority dispatch and a quicker police response. I think this was life-saving,” he said.

Chief William Scott of the San Francisco Police Department said that “the suspect pulled a hammer away from Mr Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody, requested emergency backup and rendered medical aid.”

Mr Depape is currently in San Francisco County Jail. In addition, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins floated the possibility of state charges.