Durham police have charged a 24‑year‑old Ajax man after he allegedly called 911 roughly two dozen times on Sunday for reasons investigators say were not emergencies.
Officers were first dispatched around 6:35 p.m. on March 8 to a residence near Harwood Avenue South and Station Street after the man repeatedly phoned 911 beginning at approximately 3:50 p.m.
Police and paramedics attended to check on him, but he declined assistance. According to investigators, he was warned that misusing the emergency line could lead to charges.
Despite that warning, police say the calls continued almost immediately after officers left. Between 3:50 p.m. and 8 p.m., the man allegedly contacted 911 approximately 24 times, prompting officers to return to the home. He was taken into custody without incident.
Devon Riley Real, 24, of Ajax, is charged with mischief and harassment by means of repeated telecommunications. He was held for a bail hearing.
In a statement, Durham police stressed the seriousness of tying up emergency lines, noting that every unnecessary 911 call diverts attention from genuine emergencies.
“Needlessly tying up emergency services limits the availability of public safety resources for community members who genuinely require the assistance of emergency personnel,” a police spokesperson said. “Please only contact 911 or emergency service phone numbers if you are in need of assistance.”