The police are a resource to protect and prevent serious crimes. Inappropriate use of 911 can be expected to continue, or possibly even grow, as 911 services become available through enhanced technologies and via new communications methods such as text messaging. One should only call the police if a crime is being committed or there is a life threatening emergency. However, some prejudice people take it upon themselves to call the police anytime they see a person they do not like in their neighborhood, even if that person is behaving normally. However, calling the police on someone, who is not committing a crime, is unlawful, and it also takes away valuable resources from a real emergency, which could potentially cost someone their lives. Not only that, but when you call the police on an innocent person, it could cost them their lives. Suppose the police stop a citizen, who is just minding their own business and enjoying life, and for some reason, if the police feel threaten when approaching someone who is totally innocent, they may shoot and kill that person.

Most recently, on 4 September 2014, at about 5pm, during broad daylight, in South Carolina, Levar Jones (age 35) was stopped by Highway Patrol Officer Sean Groubert (age 31), while in the parking lot of a gas station. Officer Sean Groubert asked Levar Jones to produce his license. As Levar Jones reached in his vehicle to get the document, Officer Sean Groubert got nervous and shot the unarmed African American man in the hip. Luckily, Levar Jones did not die from his injuries. However, as a result of the incident, South Carolina Public Safety Director Leroy Smith reported the force administered, in this case, was unwarranted, inconsistent with how our troopers are trained, and clearly in violation of department policies. Officer Sean Groubert, who has since been fired for the incident, has been charged with aggravated assault and battery, which is a serious felony. If convicted, Officer Sean Groubert could face him 20 years in prison. This case just an example of what can happen when police make contact with a citizen.

Now imagine if you call the police, and make a false report about someone you see walking in your neighborhood. The police are going to be alarmed and ready to take action. Suppose the police see this young man you called the police on, who is abiding by the law, and they see a camera in his hand, mistake it for a gun, and shoot him down in cold blood. Not only have you just ended someone’s life, and possible an Officers career, but you also committed a crime by filing a malicious and false report with the police, and that could land you in jail, and you may face some other charges as well. Under Penal Code, Section 148.5, False Report of Criminal Offense: Every person who reports to any peace officer listed in Section 830.1 or 830.2, or subdivision (a) of Section 830.33, the Attorney General, or a deputy attorney general, or a district attorney, or a deputy district attorney that a felony or misdemeanor has been committed, knowing the report to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor is a serious crime.

Furthermore, an estimated 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 in the United States, each year, reported by the FCC. As a result, many people with real emergencies cannot get through to the police, fire department, or other emergency services. In California, as many as 45 percent, of the more than 8 million cell phone calls to 911, each year are for non-emergencies, officials reported. In Sacramento, California, it is estimated that 80 percent of the calls made to 911, are non-emergencies. Those calls block the lines for callers who really need urgent help. So it is possible that someone’s life is being put in danger, unnecessarily, because the police are busy responding to false alarms. To highlight how serious response time is, we should review the case 2005 case of Andrew Redyk. Andrew Redyk (age 64) was a baggage handler, at Los Angeles International Airport. One day, while on the job, he suddenly passed out, and emergency services were summoned. It took them 30 minutes to reach Andrew Redyk, and he died. Also, some elder people have had police respond for no reason and gotten so scared that they have a heart attack. So think about what you are doing before you act, as you may cost someone their lives just by being ignorant.