A local man is in jail accused of abusing the 911 system. North Palm Beach Police responded to an apartment complex on Castlewood Drive numerous times after officers said 52-year-old Gerald Anderson kept calling 911 for non-emergency's.
Police said Anderson placed two 911 calls in just two hours.
One in reference to him mother refusing to give him money to buy food at I-HOP. At that point police officers were fed up.
Anderson’s arrest report states North Palm Beach officers have responded to the apartment at least 14 times since September 18,2016 for similar disturbances and every time they've spoken with Anderson he's been intoxicated.
“They gave that guy a lot of leeway,” said John Kazanjian, President of Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association.
Kazanjian said those phony calls end up tying up dispatchers and officers. Ultimately affecting those who truly need help at that very moment.
“It's depriving the taxpayers of where the officers really need to be concentrating. In Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office alone does over a million 911 calls a year so you can see the volume,” Kazanjian said.
Kazanjian said officers are required to respond to every single 911 call because it could turn out to be something serious. He hopes Anderson learned the real number to call when something isn't going his way.
“If he wants to get directions or because his mother won’t give him lunch money call the Palm Beach County non-emergency number 561-688-3000 ,” Kazanjian
In the state Florida misusing the 911 system is a misdemeanor punishable up to one year in jail and a fine up to $1,000.