Police are once again reminding the public of the serious problems associated with unnecessary 911 calls, whether accidental or not.

Such calls put 911 operators in a tough spot when every second counts.

A hangup, background noise or silence leaves them unable to confirm if it’s a real emergency or not.

Operators will call the number back but if there’s no answer the police are dispatched — often taking away valuable resources that could be needed for a legitimate crisis.

And it’s becoming a bigger issue with the proliferation of cellphones.

Police acknowledge accidents happen, but say when they do, don’t hang up, and instead explain what happened; otherwise, answer the return call, or the door if police show up.

Cellphone users are also urged to review settings for Emergency SOS or crash detection features, which can trigger accidental 911 calls for things such as off-road vehicle use — and to store phones safely to avoid pocket-dialling.

Parents can also help by showing their kids how to make or avoid making 911 calls that are not an emergency.