Boone Co. Sheriff’s Office sees 200% increase in 911 hang-up and misdial calls

BOONE COUNTY, Ill. (WIFR) - The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is sharing tips for smartphone users after it says it has seen a 200% increase in 911 hang-up calls since the start of 2023.

Compared to May 2022, there was a nearly 300% increase in misdials in May 2023.(Boone County Sheriff's Office)

First responders believe the dramatic increase in misdials could stem from software updates on Android phones where the SOS feature is automatically turned on with the update.

Many smartphones and smart watches have emergency SOS features that can be easily activated. If you want to adjust your settings, below are tutorials on how to do so on Android and Apple devices:

Android (version 12 or later):

1. Open your phone’s settings

2. Tap “Safety and emergency”

3. Turn “Emergency SOS” off

How to turn off Emergency SOS setting on Android phones running Android version 12 or later.(Boone County Sheriff's Office)

iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Emergency SOS

2. Turn “Call with Hold and Release” off

3. Turn “Call with 5 presses” off

Apple Watch:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the “My Watch” tab

2. Tap “Emergency SOS”

3. Turn off “Hold Side Button to Dial”

The Boone County sheriff’s office says because they have to follow up on every single call, it can cause a delayed response to emergencies. If you accidentally call 911, do not hang up and stay on the line with the dispatcher to verify the call was a mistake.