Stay on line if you accidentally dial 999, Wiltshire Police say

The number of silent 999 calls is rising

Police are urging people who call 999 accidentally to stay on the line to let the operator know they are alright.

Last year, Wiltshire Police received 15,000 silent or abandoned calls - all of which had to be checked in case they were a genuine call for help.

Between December 2022 and May 2023 the number of abandoned calls had reached just over 10,000.

The force said no one would get into trouble for accidentally calling the emergency number.

Abandoned or silent calls put a strain on police resources that are already stretched.

Calls to Wiltshire police have been increasing every months since February, when just over 7,000 calls were made.

In May, it had risen by 28% to nearly 10,000 calls.

Silent calls 'not ignored'

Gloucestershire Police have been experiencing similar issues.

Ch Supt Jane Probert from the Gloucestershire force said: "If you accidentally dial 999, then we ask that you stay on the line and let the operator know you didn't mean to call and don't need assistance.

"Silent calls to 999 are not ignored because they could have been made by someone who needs help but can't talk.

"Our call handlers will need to spend valuable time trying to call you back to check whether you are okay."

Police forces across the UK are currently experiencing record high call volumes, which is thought to be partly due to an update to Android smartphones.

The update, issued between October 2022 and February 2023 added a new SOS function, where a device's power button being pressed five times or more results in a call to the emergency services.

This function can be switched off in a device's settings, Wiltshire Police said.

But the force urged everyone to always call 999 in an emergency.

People who are afraid or unable to speak openly are asked to make themselves heard so they operator knows the call is genuine.

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