People urged to stop misusing 999 as demand soars
BBCPolice are urging people to think carefully before dialling 999 after a sharp rise in non-emergency calls during one of the busiest periods of the year.
As holidaymakers head to the South West for the summer, the Devon and Cornwall force said emergency calls in June were 13% above the same period in 2025.
More than 31,000 calls were made to 999 in June 2026, but only 3,473 resulted in an emergency deployment.
In one recent 999 call, a caller said their camera had been moved without permission - the call handler reminded them that 999 was for urgent assistance due to an immediate danger to life, or a crime was happening.
Police said demand had remained high since May and was expected to continue throughout the summer because of warmer weather, major sporting events and increased tourism.
Officers said unnecessary calls added pressure on staff already dealing with genuine emergencies.
Staff commander Lucy Baillie said people should remember that using the non-emergency 101 service did not mean their concerns were unimportant.
She said: "For all of the reasons that people would want to contact the police, often they feel really, really important to that person in that moment and just because we take a call on the 101 line doesn't mean it's not important.
"This is about how urgently we need to get to you."
The force said people with non-urgent concerns should report them online or call 101, where a call-back service is available.
It also urged residents to consider whether issues such as noise complaints or environmental concerns should be reported to another organisation instead.
