Nearly four million 999 calls made in Dubai last year were not urgent, prompting police to launch a new campaign to ensure people think before they dial.
Dubai Police received more than 5.3 million calls on its emergency line in 2018, but a senior officer said 75 per cent of those were not necessary.
The force's 901 number - dedicated to non-emergency matters - received just over 541,000 calls in the same period.
Major general Kamel Butti Al Suwaidi, director of operations at Dubai Police, said vital resources were being wasted by members of the public.
One elderly resident even dialled 999 to ask police to join him for lunch, as he was feeling lonely.
The stark figures were revealed at a press conference announcing the launch of the 'Don't Keep their Lives on Hold' initiative, aimed at educating the public about the need to only contact 999 in an emergency situation.
“This is a very high percentage compared to other counties like the USA, with only 25 per cent of calls to emergency line being in fact non-emergency calls, which prompted us to launch this campaign” said maj gen Al Suwaidi.
“We received a call from an old man who asked police officers to join him for lunch because he was feeling lonely.
“One second can make a huge difference between life and death in emergency situations therefore calling 999 for non-emergency enquiries is a misuse of the service.”
The police chief urged parents, schools and universities to play their part in educating children.
He said that 901 provides 32 services, including traffic related inquiries.
Butti Al Felasi, director of security awareness at Dubai police, said the campaign will continue throughout the year and will include social media posts and open discussions with the public.
“People should keep in mind that by calling 999 for a non-urgent incident, then they delay police’s respond to real emergency situations,” Al Felasi said.
