Woman, 18, faces charges in series of false 911 calls: Halifax police

HALIFAX – Halifax police say an 18-year-old woman faces mischief charges in connection with an alleged series of false 911 calls.

Police say a ground search was conducted on Sunday in the vicinity of Tower Road and Point Pleasant Park after a person believed to be a male called 911 requesting help. No one was located and the search was called off.

Halifax Regional Police Const. Pierre Bourdages said the woman was found in possession of a phone used to make more than 30 911 calls in the previous three days.

She was released and faces two counts of public mischief and a summary offence ticket for placing a false call to 911 in violation of the Emergency 911 Act.

Tony Rodgers, who is one of the 60 searchers who volunteered their time, he said it was disappointing because the incident could have been real and serious.

“I just hope the young lady gets the help that she needs, because making calls like this doesn’t put somebody in the right frame of mind,” he said.

Police are busy tallying up how much the search cost the department, but have not said if the woman will be on the hook for that bill.

Bourdages said the cost is not just measured in money, but in human resources.

“A lot of officers working that day were tied up on that search,” he said. “We had a number of search-and-rescue officers as well that were involved.”

It’s not the first time a false 911 call has been placed in the region. In 2013, a man was charged after a large-scale search in the Beaver Bank area for a missing and injured ATV rider was deemed to be a hoax.

Since 2009, Halifax police have laid 188 charges for false 911 calls.