Android update causes flood of accidental 911 calls, Anoka Co. sheriff says
ANOKA COUNTY, Minn. -- Officials in the north metro say there has been a recent uptick in accidental 911 calls because of an update to Android phones.
"This past weekend, deputies were dispatched to an extremely high volume of accidental 911 calls which were likely caused by the new Android software feature that automatically calls 911 when the power button is pressed five times in a row," the Anoka County Sheriff's Office said.
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The sheriff's office said that over the last month, dispatch received about 2,000 more hang-up calls than in March and April.
Android users can turn the automatic calling off by going to the phone's setting and toggling the "Emergency SOS" feature.
"Your participation in either turning off this feature and/or ensuring your phone doesn't accidentally dial 911 is greatly appreciated," the sheriff's office said.