Police say a 70-year-old Hamilton man is facing mischief charges after he called 911 to complain about Tuesday’s Amber Alert from Niagara police.
In a release issued Thursday, Hamilton police say the 911 call came in just after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, not long after an Amber Alert about the alleged abduction of five children in Niagara Region.
“He was calling 911 to intentionally tie up our emergency lines. He was rather angry about receiving the Amber Alert on his phone as he was trying to rest,” Acting Detective Sgt. Lisa Chambers told Global News.
“He proceeded to let us know that each and every time that he gets an Amber Alert he’ll continue to call into night 911.”
The children were later found safe.
Investigators have identified the caller as Douglas Bagshaw, 70, of Hamilton. He was arrested and charged with mischief.
Bagshaw was eventually released on a promise to appear and will be in court on Oct. 15.
Chambers said the accused could potentially face jail time.
In 2018, police say they fielded 195,000 calls in Hamilton with nearly one-third deemed “non-emergency” calls.
Hamilton Police are reminding the public that 911 is for emergencies only, saying non-emergency calls take up “valuable resources” and could delay responses to those with a “genuine emergency.”
WATCH: Niagara police release 911 complaint call over Amber Alert