Goodyear PD: Thousands of non-emergency calls filtered at call centers

GOODYEAR, AZ - Goodyear police released new data that shows thousands of non-emergency calls are made every month, putting a strain on resources.

And in an emergency, you probably don't want to think that anybody is wasting precious time. 

The 911 dispatch call center responded to an average of  2,000 calls per month in 2011. 

Chris Nadeau, telecommunications manager with Goodyear police, said they received two to three times that in non-emergency calls.

Hundreds, if not thousands of non-emergency calls, were made directly to 911.

"When you figure we only have five operators, it's taking time away from other incoming 911 calls," Nadeau said.

Nadeau said they have received calls about traffic, loss of cable television, and accidental calls from children.

Police want the public to be aware that misusing 911 can cause a strain on resources and could ultimately affect response time.

On average, it takes Goodyear police about four to five minutes to respond to priority calls. And in an emergency, every second counts.