‘Completely unacceptable’: Ottawa police say 911 lines being purposely flooded
Posted February 10, 2022 11:46 am.
Last Updated February 10, 2022 1:34 pm.
Ottawa police say they’re dealing with a “concerted effort” to flood 911 call lines.
“This endangers lives and is completely unacceptable,” police tweeted.
“We track calls and will charge anyone deliberately interfering with emergencies.”
In an update later Thursday, Ottawa police Chief, Peter Sloly, said the bulk of the calls that came in on Wednesday night appeared to be from the United States and he believes they are linked to the ongoing protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
“We are quite certain that the excessive calls that almost jammed our 911 call system last night were coming in from elements that are supporting the core demonstrations here and across the country,” he said.
“Those efforts of swatting and doxing our organizations and logistics have been ongoing throughout this demonstration and have represented a major challenge to us.”
It is a crime to unnecessarily call 911 or our non-emergency number (613-236-1222). We track calls and will charge anyone deliberately interfering with emergencies. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/CnvCzF6r9X
— Ottawa Police (@OttawaPolice) February 10, 2022