Pocket dialing 911 is a problem for Port Moody police who are forced to chase down these accidental calls to determine whether they are an emergency or not.
In the past year, false or abandoned 911 calls have increased by 45%, potentially resulting in a waste of emergency resources.
“Don’t be afraid because otherwise we are going to call back so please let us know where you are so we know you are safe,” said Const. Jason Maschke, community relations officer for the Port Moody Police Department.
“It takes much longer for us to be circling the block to make sure there is nobody in any kind of danger,” Maschke explained.
The hike in calls was identified in 2018 year-end statistics and showed that pocket dialing, — likely from uncovered phones where an emergency button can be pressed by accident on the passcode screen — was a big problem.
PROPERTY CRIME DOWN
But while pocket dialing is up, a number of other complaints is down, including a 60% drop in mail theft, likely due to police shutting down a number of Lower Mainland mail theft rings.
PMPD also report an 11.50% drop in property crime over 2017 numbers, a 7% drop in theft from automobiles and a 43% drop in break and enters down.
However, mental health calls are up by 8.3%, possibly the result of more cases being handled by a mental health officer and there were 24 bicycle thefts last year, leading to plans to establish a bicycle registration program.
Meanwhile, those who wish to avoid pocket dialing 911, should follow this advice provided by the PMPD:
What’s the best thing to do if you’ve accidentally dialed 911?
• Stay on the line and explain to the 911 dispatcher it was an accident
• If you’ve hung up, please don’t be nervous, just answer our callback... you will be called back.
• Stay where you are if asked. Sometimes officers have to “personally” verify your safety before they can move on to the next important call.
How to Avoid Unintended 9-1-1 Calls
• Protect your cellphone by locking and storing it carefully. Keep it in a safe position when not in use and use a case or holster to protect it
• Use your cellphone’s key lock to help prevent accidental calls
• Don’t program 911 into any telephone — speed dials cause accidental 911 calls
• Do not test 911 to see if it’s working
ENFORCEMENT UP
In other news, traffic enforcement remained a department priority in 2018 with approximately 4,500 drivers receiving either a written warning or a violation ticket — a 35% increase over 2017.
Many many other drivers were stopped but received a verbal warning, according to PMPD.
Enforcement against impaired drivers also remained a focus, with 23% more impaired drivers removed from the road, according to PMPD statistics.
