911 systems choking on non-emergency calls

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27,000 prank calls to 911
It’s especially galling when the caller is someone who obviously should know better. Take Gabe Pacheco, a lieutenant with the fire and rescue squad in Monroe County, Fla.

Pacheco was put on paid administrative leave last month after he called 911 to report a non-existent boating accident. The sheriff’s report said Pacheco wanted to cover up the fact that he was going to be late for a shift change.

But the worst are the prank callers, who set out to tie up police and emergency resources for kicks.

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In February, police in Hayward, Calif., arrested a man and charged him with making more than 27,000 phony 911 calls to Hayward police and the California Highway Patrol. He would grunt and make other sounds described only as “bodily noises,” mutter in a disguised voice and repeatedly press beep tones from the touchpad.

The caller, identified as John Triplette, 45, “completely overwhelmed our system,” said Desi Calzada, manager of the Hayward Communications Center. “He delayed the answering of other 911 calls because we were answering his.”

According to police, Triplette said he made the calls “because it’s free.”

Don Aaron, a spokesman for the Nashville Metro police, said it’s called “joyriding.”

“It’s a joy call to 911,” Aaron said. “What they don’t understand is that the call takers at 911 take these calls very seriously. The police department takes them very seriously.”

Some jurisdiction opt for penalties
So seriously that authorities are moving to crack down.

Last month, Ventura, Calif., began charging a per-incident fee for 911 calls. Residents can opt out of the charge by paying a recurring monthly fee, but if the don’t, every non-critical call to 911 will cost them $17.88.

“We get a few kids that play on the phone,” said Patty Chase, communications supervisor for Kern County Dispatch. “We get a few people that ask us strange questions, like when it’s going to stop raining and things that we couldn’t possibly answer.”

Some residents complained that the fee defeated the purpose of 911.

“I can’t believe that,” said Salomon Olvera Jr. “It’s really shocking to me. 911 is supposed to be an emergency phone number.”

Another opponent, James Courrangoiton, acknowledged that “they get a lot of crazy calls.” But, he said, “there’s got to be a better way of controlling that other than penalizing everybody.”

Last month, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law imposing a $50 fine for a second non-emergency 911 call. Penalties rise to $250 for the fourth call.

“One warning is sufficient,” said Assemblyman John Benoit, R-Palm Desert, who sponsored the bill. “This is not an appropriate use of 911. Don’t do it again.”

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