BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – Dispatchers in Brown County say they’ve noticed an increase in 9-1-1 hang-ups throughout May, prompting the department to send out reminders as we head into the summer season, when these numbers tend to spike.
“As a 911 industry, 911 hang-ups are certainly a topic that all of us talk about quite a lot,” Brown County Public Safety Director Chancy Huntzinger said.
Inside the dispatch center in Brown County, dispatchers handle calls that get dropped by callers, as well as their normal daily calls. Many say that hanging up right away for an accidental call is not the right way to handle it.
“If they do have an accident, dial 911 to stay on the phone and verify the information so we can ensure that there’s no need for responders and that everyone is safe,” Huntzinger said, “Or if you hang up and you didn’t realize, we try to call back to answer that call.”
According to the department, 1,567 hang-ups in May were from callers who mistakenly called 9-1-1. It’s a stat that has increased since the beginning of 2026, and when these calls happen, dispatchers have to follow up.
“When we get those 911 hang-ups, we then send a text to the number, ‘if you don’t have an emergency, call back on our non-emergency line, and we provide that non-emergency phone number,’” Huntzinger said. “And if there is an emergency, [we say] to call back on 911.”
The dispatchers are trained to handle these sorts of calls and make sure that they are able to identify if a possible pocket-dial could lead to assistance from officers.
“Our dispatchers are trained to even listen to the noise. They will stay on the phone; they’re listening for any signs of distress,” Huntzinger said. “We want to be on the side of caution every time. If they think potentially there could be any distress, then we’ll send responders.”
Huntzinger provided tips and reminders for callers if they find themselves in this situation moving forward to help lower the number of hang-ups, including locking phone screens.
“We often get calls where we may have a small child playing on the phone and not realizing that it has called 911,” Huntzinger said. “When we do call back, or if you notice that you have called, stay on the phone or answer that call so we can verify that information.”
The department is aiming to help lower the number of calls so that the focus can be put on the people who need it most when they call 9-1-1.
