“Yeah um, my television is [sic] gone crazy.” That is not what you want to hear if you’re a 911 operator.
Misuse and inappropriate 911 calls make up a bulk of what Peel Regional Police’s 911 operators have to put up with every single day.
Last month, someone called 911 to complain about their Tim Hortons order. Now, as shared by Nishan Duraiappah, the Chief of Peel Regional Police, someone dialled 911 to complain that their TV wasn’t working properly.
Over 40% of all calls to 911 are inappropriate or misuse. When every second counts, our 9-1-1 operators should be responding to critical incidents only. For non-emergencies call 905-453-3311. #EmergencyServices #911AwarenessPeel@DeputyAndrews @DC_Milinovich @DeputyOdoardi pic.twitter.com/edLqFM1Aht
— Chief Nishan Duraiappah (@ChiefNish) October 30, 2023
“I can’t get any channels, or nothing,” says the caller. The operator informs the caller that they’ve dialed 911, and asks if there is any life-threatening emergency.
The confused caller then apologizes and asks the operator which number to call.
Some people are speculating that the caller might be in the same room as someone who poses a threat to them, like an abusive partner, and they might be trying to call for help without alerting the supposed abuser. However, this can’t be confirmed at the moment.
According to the Peel Regional Police, it got nearly 125,000 misuse calls and 180,000 hang-ups last year. “Our 911 Centre takes a call every 45 seconds. Meanwhile, a person with a real emergency may be waiting on the line and unable to get through.”
Further, according to Duraiappah, over 40 percent of the 911 calls in Peel Region are inappropriate or misuses of the emergency line. Duraiappah reminds people that for non-emergency situations, they can call 905-453-3311.
Attack/assault, gunshots, fire, medical emergencies, crime in progress, suspicious activity, and serious crimes that have just occurred are considered emergencies.
On the other hand, noise complaints, reporting a crime with a delay, reporting a crime with no suspect, and especially complaints regarding coffee or TVs aren’t considered emergencies.
Image credit: Shutterstock
Source: Nishan Duraiappah Via: CTVNews
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