Following a big spike in accidential 911 calls in the past month, the Anoka County Sheriff's Office and Anoka County Emergency Communications-911 are asking people with Android phones to check their Emergency SOS settings.
The plea comes after a recent software update that allows the phone to automatically call 911 when the power button is pressed five times in a row. This feature can be turned off by going to settings and selecting the "Emergency SOS" feature. From there, you can select or toggle the option to off (the exact method to turn off this feature may vary slightly by Android phone).
From May 5 to June 5, the Anoka County 911 Dispatch Center received about 2,000 more open line and hang up calls than in March and April. Authorities say if your phone does accidentally call 911, please stay on the line and talk with the dispatcher. Otherwise, law enforcement responds to these type of calls to ensure everyone is safe.
The Sheriff's Office says you participation in either turning off this feature and/or ensuring your phone doesn't accidentally dial 911 is greatly appreciated.