GREGORY A 49-year-old Gaffney man, who allegedly called E-9-1-1 five times on Oct. 13, telling an operator he wanted to go to jail, apparently got what he wanted.

The Gaffney Police Department served an arrest warrant against Dennis Charles Gregory, of Carlisle Street, charging him with unlawful use of an emergency 9-1-1 number.

According to a police report, Gregory called Cherokee County E- 9-1-1 five times between 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. without an emergency. Police claimed Gregory was intoxicated and was telling an E-9-1-1 operator he wanted to go to jail.

By calling E-9-1-1 without an emergency, police contend Gregory was tying up an emergency dispatcher.

Police initially booked Gregory on charges of unlawful use of 9-1-1 and public drunkenness. He remained lodged at the Cherokee County Detention Center as of Thursday afternoon in lieu of $1,000 bond.

Dispatch Captain Reggie Petty said Cherokee County E-9-1-1 occasionally gets non-emergency calls, such as people asking for directions. While most of the non-emergency calls are harmless in nature, Petty said, “It’s tying up 9-1-1 lines when there might be a real emergency.”

(Tim Gulla)