By Jorge Casuso

July 28, 2025 -- A Santa Monica resident was arrested by police last month after calling 911 more than 2,000 times over the past two years, according to police officials.

The resident -- whose identity was not released -- was arrested on June 29 on Oceanfront Walk for placing approximately 220 non-emergency calls to 911 within a 12-hour period, police said.

The calls "significantly" impacted emergency communications operations," said Lt. Lewis Gilmour, the Police Department spokesperson.

"Dispatchers noted that his calls frequently consisted of incoherent statements with no identifiable emergency," Gilmour said.

"The frequency and volume of the calls disrupted emergency dispatch operations and created delays for other community members attempting to reach 911."

On the Sunday he was arrested, officers responded on two separate occasions to the caller's residence in the Beat 1 area, which includes the beach front and Downtown, police said.

"During both contacts, officers determined that there was no emergency requiring police or medical response," Gilmour said.

"Despite being advised not to misuse 911, the individual continued to call without reporting a legitimate emergency."

"Based on the pattern of calls and the inability to articulate an emergency, officers placed the caller under arrest" for "misuse of the 911 system with the intent to annoy or harass."

The violation of California Penal Code Section 653x(a) is "a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than six months, or by both the fine and imprisonment," according to the code.

The suspect was booked at the Santa Monica Jail and later released, Gilmour said.

After receiving detailed information from Patrol, Neighborhood Resource Officer Steven Hollowell, who made the arrest, scheduled a collaborative meeting with Housing, Rent Control, and the office of Emergency Management, according to police.

"The goal is to develop sustainable solutions to prevent further misuse of emergency services," police officials said.

SMPD "reminds the community that 911 should only be used for emergencies involving immediate threats to life or property," officials said.