Fear of retribution/not wanting to get involved is a real thing. Also are you proposing that 911 operators confirm people's real identities before accepting their call and dispatching someone?

No, but at least have the calling number presented to the 911 operator, with various options categorised as more or less trustworthy. And 911 calls should bypass any 'calling number protection'.

Someone else pointed out that the whole phone system is a dog's breakfast, which also needs to be fixed for various easy-scam-exploitation reasons as well. The only reason not to do it is that the corps that run the networks don't want to have to pay to make their shit fit for society's purpose rather than their own.

What specific effect would you expect “categorize as less trustworthy” have?

Agreed on telephone infra in general

Non-spoofable and local number: trustworthy

Spoofable local number: slightly less trustworthy

Non-local number: less trustworthy

International number: barely trustworthy

VoIP: maybe slightly more trustworthy than international.

Said infra probably limits the ability to distinguish between these, however, so that becomes the primary issue.

I wasn't clear: what does that change?

Do you tell emergency responders not to turn their lights on en route? To put it at the bottom of the queue after helping the old lady cross the street? To politely knock on the alleged hostage-taker's door instead of kicking it in?

Yes, change the response appropriately.

And if "kick the door in" is Standard Operating Procedure, then change the SOP, or have some more conditionals prior to "kick the door in".