London police say too many 911 calls are not emergencies

Edmonton police are preparing to launch the Text with 911 service later this year. Supplied.

London police say about one third of 911 calls are not an emergency, and there are concerns it could have an impact on responding to people dealing with true emergencies.

In a statement, Communications Section Staff Sergeant Mary Ellen Costea said, “Our communications operators are incredibly busy...It is to the point where we are concerned that those with a real emergency are either not going to get through or will be delayed in getting through because someone has dialed 911 for an inappropriate issue.”

In the first 10 months of 2018, London Police Service Communications Centre received 171,510 calls, a 10.8 per cent increase from 2017.

So when should you call 911? London police say if there is a crime in progress or one has just occurred, there is a clear danger to you or someone else, or someone has died or is seriously injured, then you should call 911.

However, if you are reporting a crime that did not just happen, have a noise complaint or are looking for advice, you should call the non-emergency line at 519-661-5670.

Any other questions about who to contact or how and when to file a report can be found on the London police website.