The Ontario Provincial Police in Essex County is once again reporting an increase in accidental 911 calls in recent months.
The OPP said over the last month alone, accidental or non-emergency use of 911 resulted in a 26 per cent increase in calls. Police said pocket dials and numbers having no valid callback 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," police said in a news release Tuesday afternoon. "Each time there is an accidental 911 call, it is consuming the time of the initial communications centre call taker, a dispatcher and generally two officers, hampering their ability to attend to real emergencies."
The OPP added 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 said.
Police are also encouraging all cell phone users to review their phone's functions and learn how to effectively lock their device to prevent accidental 911 pocket dials.
"By following these simple recommendations, Essex County OPP officers will be able to focus on other duties more efficiently to help keep our community safe," the OPP added.