With 352,663 calls for service received in 2023, the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Divisional Operational Communications Centre (DOCC) inevitably encountered an occasional outlier that “missed the mark” amidst the deluge of emergency calls ranging from false alarms to serious incidents concerning public safety.
The Saskatchewan RCMP has announced the top 10 list of calls that “missed the mark” in 2023:
- Rocky’s in the House: An individual called 911 to complain after their friend hit them in the face during a boxing match.
- Bug Alert: After wasps got into an individual’s house, the caller phoned 911 in the hope of getting an officer to come and help remove the flying insects.
- What-a-Mess: A frustrated parent called 911 to complain after their child wouldn’t clean their room when asked.
- Beep Beep: An individual called stating the battery in their smoke detector was low and requested an RCMP officer pick some batteries up for them.
- Sunshine: An individual called 911 asking permission to park their car on the side of the street opposite their house to avoid sunlight ruining the interior leather in their vehicle.
- “We’re in this Togeth-hair”: A caller dialed 911 asking for the phone number to a local hair salon so the individual could proceed to book a haircut.
- Hangry: A hungry caller phoned 911 explaining how their bag of chips got stuck in a vending machine and were hoping a police officer could come and help get the chips unstuck for them.
- Buzz Off: A concerned individual called 911 explaining how their campsite was being actively invaded by bugs and stated that they had no bug spray available.
- Grass is Always Greener: A frustrated caller complained to the 911 call centre about their grass not being cut “properly” by the person they hired to do so.
- Order Up: The list was topped by an individual calling to complain about the smell of the deep-fried rink food being too strong at an event they were attending.
“As entertaining as some of these calls are, we want to remind everyone that 911 is for emergencies and emergencies only. When I’m answering calls that aren’t an emergency, it means I’m not available for someone else who really does need potentially life-saving help,” explained Lee Rosin, a recruiter for the Saskatchewan RCMP Operational Communications Centre.
To make a serious call to the Saskatchewan RCMP and report a crime, the DOCC can be reached at 310-RCMP (7267) from anywhere in the province. The public is reminded that 911 is reserved for in-progress and life-threatening emergency situations only.
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