County Sheriffs Say Unintentional 911 Pocket Dials Are on the Rise

(KNSI) – The Pine County Sheriff’s Office says it fielded 21 unintentional 911 calls on Sunday alone.

If operators cannot hear or understand a person on the other end of the line, they often still have to send emergency services to where the call came from out of an abundance of caution. This can tie up resources that are needed elsewhere.

The department says you should lock your phone to prevent accidental dialing and disable emergency calling shortcuts. The Benton County Sheriff’s office shared Pine County’s Facebook post, calling pocket dialing a huge and unnecessary “time suck.”

Officials say the best thing to do if you accidentally dial 911 is to stay on the line and explain the situation to the dispatcher who answers. Do not hang up out of embarrassment or fear of getting into trouble.

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