Hamilton, Ontario police say a 70-year-old man has been charged with mischief after complaining to 9-1-1 about the October 1st Amber Alert.
The man said that he was trying to take a nap and that the notifications were bothering him. Police say that the man admitted that he repeatedly called 9-1-1 because he was trying to tie up emergency lines.
He has been identified as Douglas Bagshaw, and will appear in court on October 15th.
Police across Ontario have had to repeatedly remind people that calling 9-1-1 should only be used for emergencies, after receiving an influx of callers complaining after each Amber Alert notification.
Another Amber Alert that ignited the complaints occurred in February and ended with the death of 11-year-old Riya Rajkumar, who was murdered by her father.
Earlier this year in July, a woman started a petition calling on the Ontario government to fine people who misuse 9-1-1 services to complain about Amber Alert notifications.
All wireless carriers are required to provide Canada’s Emergency Alert system, as it was mandated on April 6th of 2018.
Source: City News
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