You've probably heard it since you were five. "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?" When the person on the other end says yes, you drop the hammer: "Well, you better let him out!" It’s the quintessential prank call. It’s harmless, right?
Well, honestly, things change when you involve emergency services.
When people search for prince albert in a can 911, they aren't usually looking for tobacco history. They’re usually trying to figure out what happens when a classic prank crosses the line into a 911 dispatch center. It happens more than you’d think. Kids get bored. Adults get drunk. Someone thinks it would be hilarious to see if a dispatcher has a sense of humor about vintage pipe tobacco.
Spoiler alert: They don't.
The Reality of Pranking Emergency Services
Emergency dispatchers are basically the air traffic controllers of human survival. When a call comes in, they are legally and procedurally required to treat it as a potential life-or-death situation until proven otherwise. If you call and ask for Prince Albert, you aren't just telling a joke. You're blocking a trunk line.
In many jurisdictions, this falls under "Misuse of 911." It’s not just a slap on the wrist. Depending on where you live, it can be a misdemeanor or even a felony if it interferes with an actual emergency response.
Think about it this way. Dispatch centers work on a queuing system. If a prankster is tying up a line with a joke about a 19th-century royal, a person having a heart attack or reporting a house fire is stuck in that queue. That’s why the legal system takes prince albert in a can 911 calls so seriously. The "intent" doesn't matter as much as the "impact."
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Who Was the Real Prince Albert Anyway?
To understand the joke, you kinda have to understand the brand. We’re talking about Prince Albert pipe tobacco, introduced by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 1907. It was named after Edward VII, who went by Prince Albert before he was crowned King.
The tobacco was famously sold in red tins.
Because the tins were so ubiquitous in American pockets for decades, the joke became a staple of early 20th-century humor. It’s the "Is your refrigerator running?" of the tobacco world. But back in the day, you’d call the local grocer or the pharmacy. You wouldn't call the police. The transition of this prank to the 911 system is a relatively modern—and incredibly stupid—evolution of a tired trope.
Why Does This Specific Prank Keep Happening?
It’s the "dare" factor. Most kids know 911 is for emergencies, but there’s a specific brand of adrenaline that comes from calling the "forbidden number." Because the Prince Albert joke is seen as "innocent" or "vintage," pranksters feel like it’s less offensive than a bomb threat or a fake robbery.
It isn't.
Law enforcement agencies across the country, from the NYPD to small-town sheriff offices, have issued warnings about this. In 2024, several reports highlighted an uptick in "legacy pranks" being directed at emergency lines due to social media challenges. People film themselves doing it for TikTok or YouTube, thinking they’re being "retro."
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The Legal Hammer: What Happens Next?
If you or someone you know thinks prince albert in a can 911 is a good idea, here is the likely sequence of events.
First, the dispatcher will try to verify if there is an emergency. They won't just hang up. They have to ensure you aren't being held at gunpoint and using the joke as a coded cry for help. That takes time.
Second, ANI/ALI (Automatic Number Identification and Automatic Location Identification) kicks in. They know exactly where you are. Even if you block your caller ID, 911 systems see through that.
Third, if the department is feeling particularly grumpy—which they usually are when their lines are flooded—they will dispatch an officer to your GPS coordinates. This is called a "welfare check." When the officer arrives and finds out it was a joke, that’s when the citations start.
- Fines: These can range from $50 to $2,500 depending on state law.
- Community Service: Often required for juveniles.
- Criminal Record: "Disorderly conduct" or "Harassment" can stay on a record forever.
A Note on Dispatcher Burnout
We have to talk about the human element here. 911 dispatchers are already understaffed. According to the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), many centers are operating at 30% below necessary staffing levels.
Dealing with a prince albert in a can 911 call isn't just an annoyance. It’s a psychological drain. These professionals spend their days listening to people die, hearing domestic violence in real-time, and trying to keep their cool while guiding parents through CPR. Throwing a "funny" prank into their headset is basically spitting in the face of their service.
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It’s not just a "joke." It’s an interruption of a very fragile safety net.
How to Handle an Accidental 911 Dial
Sometimes, kids get a hold of a phone. Sometimes, "butt dialing" happens and the phone accidentally triggers an emergency SOS. If you accidentally call 911 and find yourself on the line, do not hang up.
If you hang up, the dispatcher must call you back. If you don't answer, they must send an officer.
The best thing to do is stay on the line and say, "I am so sorry, this was an accidental dial. There is no emergency." They will ask you a couple of clarifying questions just to be sure, and then they’ll let you go. That saves everyone hours of paperwork and prevents a police cruiser from screaming through your neighborhood for no reason.
Actionable Steps for Parents and Teachers
If you’re reading this because you’re worried about a kid or just want to be prepared, here’s how to actually handle the situation:
- Educate on "Silent" Calls: Explain that 911 sees the location even if the phone has no SIM card. Old "deactivated" phones can still dial 911. Many parents give these to kids as toys. Bad idea.
- The "Harm" Conversation: Move beyond "it’s against the rules." Explain the queue system. Tell them that every second spent on a Prince Albert joke is a second a real victim has to wait. Kids often respond better to the "hero/help" narrative than the "you'll get in trouble" narrative.
- Check Phone Settings: On iPhones and Androids, there are "Emergency SOS" shortcuts (like pressing the power button five times). Make sure your kids know how these work so they don't trigger them accidentally while playing games.
- Monitor Social Media Trends: If you see a "Retro Prank" trend popping up on your teen's feed, shut it down immediately. These trends move fast and usually end in a knock on the door from the local PD.
The bottom line is simple. Prince Albert has been in that can for over a hundred years. He’s fine. Leave him there and leave the 911 lines open for people who actually need them.