Raccoons are not an emergency
Ontario Provincial Police in Norfolk are reminding citizens about the proper use of the 9-1-1 emergency phone system, and especially about the improper worn.
Calling 9-1-1 for a raccoon complaint, for example, is not an emergency, they say.
Officers with the OPP’s Norfolk detachment say they were called recently about a raccoon seen underneath a homeowner’s wooden deck. The call prompted a warning from police.
“Homeowners who have issues with raccoons on their property need to call a private animal removal service,” said Const. Ed Sanchuck.
“The OPP does not have the equipment to trap and house live animals or transport wild animals.”
Calling 9-1-1 for non-emergency situations ties up phone lines and operators at the communications service, potentially delaying response time to an actual emergency.
In 2020 the Norfolk OPP also urged people to not call 9-1-1 except for emergencies, noting each call ties up two officers for 30 minutes each. A Simcoe resident had called the emergency number to report having e-transferred money to buy illegal drugs that didn’t arrive – and they wanted to report a theft.