Alien abductions and runaway cows: Sichuan police's 110 line swamped with quirky calls

The local police department in Renshou, Sichuan province, has reported an overwhelming influx of calls this year, with a staggering 70 percent of the 112,915 reports turning out to be either invalid or prank calls, according to official sources.

The peculiar nature of these calls ranged from bizarre to humorous, illustrating the challenges faced by law enforcement in filtering out legitimate emergencies. Some of the notable instances include a caller asserting, "My brain keeps buzzing every day, and aliens are controlling my mind," while another claimed, "I had a cow at home, but it ran away on its own!"

Among the whimsical requests was a plea for intervention in a domestic dispute with the statement, "My child is misbehaving too much! Can you arrest and detain him for a few days to discipline him?" Another individual sought a breakup certificate, citing, "He is full of viruses all over his body, even on his mouth. I want him to pay me a breakup fee."

In response to the surge in non-emergency calls, authorities in Renshou have emphasized the importance of using the emergency hotline 110 for genuine cases requiring police intervention. The police department has identified seven situations deemed appropriate for reporting through the emergency hotline:

• Criminal cases

• Public security incidents

• Group events that endanger personal safety, property, or social order

• Natural disasters, fires, and traffic accidents

• Other emergency calls related to illegal activities requiring immediate police intervention

• Urgent requests for assistance endangering public or community safety

• Ongoing illegal activities involving public security organs and police officers.

The police are urging the public to reserve the emergency hotline for situations falling within these categories and to refrain from making prank or non-urgent calls, ensuring that resources are efficiently allocated to genuine emergencies.