You won’t believe these crazy reasons for dialling 999 – including a pizza delivery mix-up
Essex Police has recently launched a campaign to highlight the problem of inappropriate use of the emergency services number. This clip kicked off the campaign.
Up to 400 hoax or inappropriate 999 calls every month could cause serious harm or death if they prevent us from hearing about real emergencies. Watch our short film to see how you can give us #MoreTimeToFightCrime pic.twitter.com/4lqB5yx1Zi
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) July 30, 2018
Whilst this shows examples of the kind of things people report, as well as a compelling reason to leave 999 for emergencies only, they subsequently shared real stories of inappropriate calls.
The woman who accidentally got a pizza containing mushrooms.
Calls like these puts lives at risk by preventing us from answering genuine emergency calls. Only use 999 in an emergency and help give us #MoreTimeToFightCrime pic.twitter.com/OI1PXfcYf8
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) July 30, 2018
The man who wanted to find out whether there was a bull in the field.
Calls like this could risk the life of someone who really needs us but can’t get through. Help give us #MoreTimeToFightCrime and only call 999 in an emergency. pic.twitter.com/5PHLV5hBed
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) July 30, 2018
The woman who wanted to complain about an undercooked chicken from Nando’s.
Undercooked chicken, an expensive electricity bill, discarded sheets: our @EPControlRoom deal with inappropriate calls daily. Help give us #MoreTimeToFightCrime and only call 999 in an emergency. pic.twitter.com/cAlxR8dUSq
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) July 31, 2018
The man who fell asleep on the train and missed his stop.
Calling us because you've missed your last train home is not an acceptable use of 999.
Misuse of 999 can result in longer waiting times and the possibility of genuine calls being blocked from reaching us. Help give us #MoreTimeToFightCrime and use 999 for emergencies only. pic.twitter.com/wKNSkbmmy9
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) August 1, 2018
And finally, the Poke Prize for Chutzpah goes to the man who called the police to report the police helicopter for disturbing the peace.
Calling us to ask why @NPASBoreham has been deployed isn't an acceptable use of 999.
Misuse of 999 can result in longer waiting times and the possibility of genuine calls being blocked from reaching us. Only use 999 in an emergency so we have #MoreTimeToFightCrime pic.twitter.com/HIpCqiUwPe
— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) July 31, 2018
In case you were thinking this was an Essex problem, have a listen to this genuine call made to Greater Manchester Police.
They walk among us.