Essex County OPP are reminding residents about the importance of proper use of 911 after an increase in accidental calls over the last few months.
Over the last month alone, accidental or non-emergency use resulted in an increase in calls of 26 per cent.
Police say pocket dials and numbers having no valid call back numbers were among the contributors to these 911 calls.
The public needs to be aware that every time 911 is called police have to patrol, investigate the source of the call and confirm the caller is okay.
Each time there is an accidental 911 call, it is consuming the time of the initial communications center call taker, a dispatcher and generally two officers, hampering their ability to attend to real emergencies.
It also takes these officers' away from potential life-saving proactive activities such as traffic control and enforcement during high volume traffic times.
Police remind parents to educate their children on the proper use of 911 and remind all users that a cell phone is not a toy. Even if you remove a SIM card from a cell phone, it still has the ability to call 911.
Police are also encouraging all cell phone users to review your phone's functions and learn how to effectively lock your device to prevent accidental 911 pocket dials.
By following these simple recommendations, Essex County OPP officers say they will be able to focus on other duties more efficiently to help keep our community safe.
If you have an emergency, call 911. If you require police assistance in a non-emergent situation in OPP patrolled areas, callers are encouraged to contact the OPP non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122.
