JCF urges responsible use of 119 as prank calls dominate daily volume

The 119 line takes in roughly 5,000 calls on a typical day, but only a minority of them are linked to real emergencies, according to information shared by the JCF.

About 65 per cent of the daily calls are described as prank or nuisance calls with no connection to police work. Another estimated 15 per cent may relate to policing but do not involve urgent situations.

That leaves approximately 20 per cent of calls as genuine emergencies. The appeal is for Jamaicans, particularly parents, to remind children that 119 should be used responsibly and reserved for emergencies only.