'Can someone wake me up at 9:30am?' - Hampshire Police reveal calls made to 999

  • Report by ITV News Meridian's Kerry Swain

Hampshire Police say too many calls to 999 are wasting their time - with one person even asking officers to provide him with a 9.30am wake-up call.

Non-emergency calls to the number include someone asking police to be their alarm clock, another finding a wallet, and one caller spotting a deer.

One prank caller even reported that their pizza hadn't been delivered.

Police say call handlers receive hundreds of calls each shift; the majority of which are genuine emergencies. However, there are also calls made in error or for reasons that do not count as an emergency.

One person called 999 asking Police to be their alarm clock so they didn't miss going to court. Credit: ITV Meridian

Officers took a look at a ten hour period on a Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday morning to show the extent of the issue.

Between 5pm on the Saturday and 4am on the Sunday, handlers answered 714 calls via the 999 emergency number.

Of these calls 49%, 349, were genuine emergencies.

Of the remaining 51%:

  • 44 calls were made in error

  • 171 calls were confirmed as not being a new incident, for example a general enquiry or an update to an existing report

  • 150 calls were not emergencies and should have been reported online or via 101

Police say having to deal with these sorts of calls can seriously impact the handers’ ability to speak to people with genuine emergencies. They're urging people to think before they dial.

Superintendent Anna Skelton, said: “By calling 999 about matters other than emergencies, these people are diverting call handlers away from those who really need help.

"The majority of calls we receive via 999 are genuine emergencies. However, in some instances people find themselves in a situation and don’t know who to call so just call us on 999 hoping to be pointed in the right direction, or genuinely thinking this is the correct number.

"On other occasions, we have people deliberately wasting our time.“

Police say people should report non-emergency incidents online, via 101 or at a police station.

Man found with multiple stab wounds to legs hospitalised
Great-grandmother, 93, wheels bin two miles to tip during strikes

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...