Unregistered phone calls 911 more than 120 times

Residents are reminded to reconsider allowing children to play with old cellphones after one called 911 more than 120 times Sunday.

Between 4:40 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., the same phone called the emergency number at least 129 times. During many of the calls, Guelph Police Service communicators were able to hear a child but were not able to get anyone’s attention.

Officers were dispatched in an attempt to locate the phone based on GPS data received with the calls. Several addresses were checked but the phone was not located and no emergency was found.

Any functioning mobile device can call 911, even if it is not connected to a service plan or has its sim card removed. When these calls are received, the approximate location is typically much less accurate than it would be from a phone connected to a cellular network. The incoming call is assigned a phone number beginning with 911 -- allowing communicators to confirm the calls were from the same device -- but cannot be called back.

To prevent accidental calls, consider removing the battery or allowing the phone to drain completely before it is given to a child.

Anyone who calls 911 accidentally is urged to remain on the line and speak to a communicator to confirm you are not having an emergency. This will prevent the unnecessary use of police resources.