Police in Kentucky have arrested two men after they say a 911 operator overheard them discussing a possible drug deal.
And how did the Madison County 911 dispatcher hear this conversation? According to police, one of the men “butt dialed” 911, and the operator listened in while the two openly discussed doing and selling illegal drugs.
Anyone who’s owned a mobile phone has likely experienced a “butt dial,” where the person’s not-quite-locked phone will accidentally dial someone’s number while in their pocket.
Normally, the worst that can happen is some mild embarrassment – but not in this case.
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Police traced the source of the call to a gas station in Berea, Kentucky. Later that day, they arrested Greg Collins for possession of crystal meth and heroin. Another man, Justin Cruse, was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
“We don’t know if those guys were going to use there in the store or try to sell to somebody,” Lt. Jake Reed with Berea Police told WKYT News.
“Who knows what they were doing, but the main thing is that we got the drugs off the street that night. So, I think the dispatcher in this case did a very good job.”
Police are not releasing transcripts of the 911 call as they consider it evidence in an ongoing criminal case. Both men are being held at the Madison County Detention Center pending a bail hearing.