Police warn about accidental 911 calls after Android software update

In this Aug. 11, 2019, file photo, a cellphone is used in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Toronto police are urging people to adjust the emergency settings on their mobile devices following an “exponential increase” in accidental 911 calls last month.

According to police, the service's 911 call centre, which receives calls to both 911 and its non-emergency line, received about 6,500 calls per day in May, up from 5,200 in 2022. Police said nearly 70 per cent of those were calls to 911 and almost 50 per cent were accidental.

“TPS Communications Services operates the largest and busiest 911 call centre in Canada, and is experiencing an increase in 911 wait times. When a 911 caller does not respond to the operator, hangs up or is disconnected, the operator must make contact by calling back,” a news release from Toronto police read.

Toronto police said to address this issue, last month the 911 call centre introduced text notifications to respond to some calls, asking that the person call back if there is an emergency.

“When it takes operators a minimum of 90 seconds to call each person back, that is time that could be better spent responding to emergency 911 calls, when every second counts,” the news release continued.

Toronto police said one of the main ways people can prevent accidental 911 calls is by adjusting the emergency settings on their cellphone.

To update your emergency settings:

• iPhone: click on “Settings” and “Emergency SOS”

• Android: click on “Settings” and “Safety and emergency”

Other tips to prevent accidental 911 calls include:

• Storing your phone properly so it is not bouncing around in your purse or in your pocket to be sat on. If the side button is pressed five times, it could initiate a 911 call.

• Preventing children from playing with active or old phones. Even if your old phone is unregistered with no SIM card or cellphone plan, it can still call 911.

If 911 is dialed by mistake, police said callers must stay on the line and inform the operator that there is not an emergency.

“If you do hang up, an operator the will text or call you to make sure you are safe. Please answer the call, and note that your phone may identify the call as spam because the phone number is blocked,” the news release continued.

In an effort to reduce wait times, Toronto police said it will be hiring more communication operators at its 911 call centre but noted that dispatchers undergo “extensive training” that takes 18 months to complete.

Peel police sees uptick in accidental 911 calls

The Peel Regional Police Service issued a similar warning to cellphone users this week, confirming that it too had seen a recent spike in accidental 911 calls.

In a tweet, Peel police said recent software updates on Android devices have made it “easier to dial 911 unintentionally.”

The police service encouraged people, particularly Android users, to turn off the Emergency SOS feature.

“Most of the time, device users are unaware that the Emergency SOS feature has been activated,” Peel police said.

“This creates an unnecessary challenge for 911 operators who must determine if the caller is safe and whether there is an emergency or not. The takes valuable time away from answering legitimate 911 calls.”