HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – A Canadian boy fed up with his parents’ efforts to feed him salad decided to notify the authorities last Tuesday.
Halifax police turned the call into a teachable moment, showing up at the family’s home to speak to the 12-year-old about using the 911 system responsibly.
Before they got there, however, the boy called a second time to ensure that officers were on their way, according to a Facebook post by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“While many can relate to the dislike of a salad at times, this raises a more important issue that warrants discussion at all ages,” says Cpl. Dal Hutchinson. “The improper use of 911 is an issue with all age groups and it ties up valuable resources, preventing emergency first responders from dealing with real emergencies.”
Inappropriate 911 calls from both children and adults are not uncommon, and some people have received fines of nearly $700, police told the CBC.
In one case, “a person couldn’t find their TV remote so they called 911,” Hutchinson said. “We can’t make this stuff up.”
Considering the boy’s age, police decided to give the 12-year-old a break.
When asked what type of salad it was, Hutchinson told the CBC, “Obviously one to his dislike because he called 911.”
