Study: 38 pct. of calls to NYPD are 'butt dials'

(CNN) - Nearly four million calls a year to 911 operators in New York City are a result of "butt dialing."

That's when a person accidentally makes a call when the phone is in their back pocket, purse or elsewhere.

A New York Daily News article highlights an independent consultant's study of the city's emergency communications system.

The report shows 38 percent of about 10.4 million emergency calls during 2010 were false alarm "short calls," lasting 10 seconds or less. That's an average of more than 10,000 "butt dials" a day.

The consulting group is urging the city to launch a "public awareness" campaign to reduce accidental calls and reduce the work load on the 911 system.