Hamilton Police charged a Hamilton man after making 249 emergency calls since January 2018. Hamilton Police would like to remind the Hamilton Community that continued abuse of 9-1-1 calls is a criminal offence and can cause a serious delay for those in need of urgent assistance.

On January 17, 2019, Hamilton Police communications received six 9-1-1 calls between 3:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Each time the caller would not speak and hang up.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m., police attended the Hunter Street address to check on the well-being of the caller. The male was heard walking around inside his home but he did not open the door until 1.5 hours after police arrived.

Further investigation confirmed the male had made 249 emergency calls since January 2018. A warning was given in August 2018; however, he continued to call 9-1-1 without any reasonable explanation.

A 33-year-old Hamilton male has been charged with False Information. He was released on a Promise to Appear and scheduled to appear in court on February 14, 2019.

Non-emergency calls take up valuable resources and potentially delay responding to those individuals in a genuine emergency. A 911 emergency is when someone needs help right away because of an injury or an immediate danger.

If you have called 911 accidentally, it’s important to stay on the line to speak to an operator to explain the error. Every 911 call is taken seriously, so explaining the mistake will eliminate the need for the emergency operator to call back. It is also important to ensure all cell phones are locked to avoid accidentally calling 911.

For non-urgent cases, such as reporting a noise complaint, callers should use the non-emergency line at 905-546-4925 or visit the website at www.hamiltonpolice.on.ca.