Pocket Dialing

Pocket dials happen when a keypad on a mobile device carried in a pocket, purse, backpack, etc. is accidentally pressed. Unintentional 9-1-1 calls are generated from a mobile device and are not intended as emergency calls. 

Officers need to follow up these types of calls due to the initial perception of the calls being an emergency.  Every second counts when someone is waiting for an emergency communicator to pick up a 9-1-1 call and dispatch police, emergency medical services, or fire.

 

What you can do to prevent this

• Lock your key pad on your mobile device.  
• Turn off the 9-1-1 auto dial feature in your mobile device

• Try not to program your mobile device to speed dial or automatically dial 9-1-1, and prevent small children from playing with these devices.  
• If you need help operating your phones features go to www.youtube.com and search for a detailed solution on your phones make and model

If you place an Unintentional 9-1-1 Call

It's important in this case that you stay on the line.  Every 9-1-1 call is taken seriously.  When a 9-1-1 caller doesn't respond we take this matter extremely serious.   When you stay on the line you get a chance to speak with a 9-1-1 operator.  It's their job to find out what happened.  Even if we find out that it's unintentional we still may come to your address any ways.  

If you hang up we will call back.  It is important in this case that you answer this call.  We're not trying to get you in trouble we're trying to see if there is an emergency.  If you don't pick the phone up when we call back we take this extremely serious and will take alternative steps to locate you.

All of these steps take time to do and because of that it drains our resources.  However we realize that everyone makes mistakes but it's important that we limit them.  The safety of every citizen in Port Hope is important to us.