Norfolk County OPP are reminding people to dial 911 only for emergencies after a child made a costly call over the weekend.
On Saturday afternoon, police were contacted by a nine-year-old girl in Simcoe, Ont.
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Upon arriving at her home, police learned a parent had told her to clean her room.
The girl became upset and dialed 911. However, it is not a crime to ask a child to tidy up.
Const. Ed Sanchuk says misplaced calls put an enormous pressure on OPP resources.
“They tie up the phone lines at the communications centre, waste taxpayer money, tie up law enforcement officers and threaten lives,” Sanchuk said.
Police encourage families to discuss proper use of 911 to prevent similar situations.