London’s Metropolitan Police have issued a public reminder on the appropriate use of emergency services after sharing a recorded call in which a driver contacted police because he was unable to disconnect his electric vehicle from a charging station.
The incident, posted on the force’s social media channels, featured a re-enactment of a conversation between a distressed caller and an officer at police headquarters. During the exchange, the officer repeatedly advised the caller to contact the vehicle dealer or charging provider, explaining that the issue did not constitute a police matter.
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The police said the post was not intended to ridicule the caller but to address a growing problem of non-emergency use of the 999 system, which can hinder responses to serious incidents.
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“Unnecessary calls to 999 are on the rise, making it harder for those who actually need help to get through quickly,” the Metropolitan Police said in the post.
The force urged the public to reserve the emergency number strictly for situations involving immediate danger or serious crime. “Please only call 999 if a crime is in progress, there’s a threat to life, or someone is in immediate danger,” the statement added. For non-urgent matters, police advised the public to report issues online or call the 101 non-emergency number.
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The reminder comes as electric vehicle adoption continues to expand across the UK, bringing growing interaction between motorists and public charging infrastructure. Authorities said that while technical issues at charging points can be frustrating, they should be handled through customer service channels rather than emergency responders.