The Chillicothe Dispatch Center reports receiving a large number of 911 calls from deactivated cell phones where children are pushing the emergency button.
The Chillicothe Police Department is asking that parents not provide cell phones to children to play with as a toy without first removing the battery. With the battery still in the phone, the phone can still be used to access 911 in case of emergencies. The department is asking that if there are no other means than a deactivated cell phone to use during an emergency, use it properly and don’t let your child play with it.
Allowing children to play with cell phones even if it has been deactivated allows 911 to be called and ties up the emergency lines when they may be needed for a real emergency.
