One in three calls to Avon and Somerset police not an emergency
Nearly one-third of 999 calls to Avon and Somerset police have nothing to do with an emergency, a police chief has revealed.
So far this year, about 36,000 out of 120,000 callers are ringing 999 when they should be calling a non-emergency 0845 number.
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One in three calls to Avon and Somerset police not an emergency
Chief Superintendent Dave Hayler said around 30 per cent of emergency calls that flood his force's phone lines each day "shouldn't be anywhere near a 999 line".
The target time for an operator to pick up an incoming emergency call is just 10 seconds.
More than 120,000 emergency calls have been received by the police control room so far this year. Of those, about 3,000 went unanswered.
Currently, operators answer 82 per cent of calls within the target time – but the police authority wants this to rise to 90 per cent. On average, each call is picked up in 13 seconds.
The statistics have been revealed in a document to the Evening Post as a result of an inquiry under the Freedom of Information Act.
Mr Hayler urged people to use the 999 number only if it was an emergency. He said: "We should be able to answer our 999 calls. We are working hard to do that. Our staff are dedicated.
"But we ask people only to call 999 if it is a valid emergency."
The document showed that in January this year police operators took six minutes 29 seconds to answer an emergency call.
Police said on that day control room staff were being inundated with calls about an illegal rave.
Mr Hayler, who is head of police communications, admitted it was "unforgivable" that members of the public waited so long for help.
He said: "On the six minutes 29 seconds figure, the idea that anyone who is close to you, be it an uncle or a mother, waiting for an answer in an emergency is unforgivable."
The document has also revealed that one caller who dialled the force's non-emergency 0845 number was kept waiting for 37 minutes 42 seconds in April last year.
Callers dialling the 0845 456 7000 number should only have to wait 40 seconds according to targets set by the police authority.
So far this year, police have managed to answer just over 80 per cent of general calls within 40 seconds – five per cent above the target. The average queue time for non-emergency calls is 28 seconds.
Mr Hayler said: "We've only had four or five noticeable blips since the incident in April 2007.
"Three years ago we were missing answering 45 per cent of general calls within the target time.
"Now we're answering 81 per cent within that time. That's a pretty good performance."Anomalies aside, we're good at answering calls now."
Another burden the force must deal with is the hundreds of hoax callers who dial 999 each month.
In July the police revealed they received 415 hoax calls since June 2007. Officers were forced to resort to using YouTube videos to try to deter hoaxers. And they released voice recordings in an attempt to identify the callers. The penalty for hoax calling is six months in prison and a £5,000 fine.
Chief Inspector Kevin Rowlands said: "The difficulty that we're trying to get round is the high demand peaks.
"The bottom line is you cannot always staff something like 50 calls in three minutes.
"You don't get the same number of calls at 5am as you do at 10 o'clock at night.
"We sometimes ask BT and Cable and Wireless operators to reroute to other forces, but it takes time for those other forces to respond.
"It's better to put the call in our system and deal with it then. We are working with neighbouring forces to develop a slicker system."
Between 55 and 90 control room staff are on duty at any time.
Mr Hayler said: "We don't want to discourage people from calling 999.
"But we are looking at a number of ways to help people think about what the nature of their response is.
"We deal with offences from litter to murder and obviously any offence will have an impact on the person."
Councillor Derek Pickup, Bristol City Council executive member for care, tackling deprivation and crime, said: "Our aim is to make Bristol, as the new chief constable said, the safest city in the world.
"We need to give people more confidence when they call 999 so they get the service they deserve."
10 Comments
by John, Gloucestershire
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 11:03PM
“Jessie, well said but if there are no officers to send to it there are no officers to send!
This isnt the fault of the individual officers, but the faults lie elsewhere.
There are however enough Police Officers to attend all incidents like Jessie's, the only problem is they aren't on response teams, they are on cushy job roles that are a waste of time!”
by Jessie, Bristol
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 8:30PM
“Having read the above I have tried to judge what events are an emergency? A member of the public has been a victim of an aggravated crime, I ask the question would that be an emergency? Judging by my recent experience clearly it was not a priority for Avon and Somerset Police. Having had my Handbag stolen by 2 scrambags yesterday, I called 999 in a shaken state, The operator was pleasant enough and reassuring and details were taken quickly , a call was promised back on my mobile, I asked myself are they going to send someone out to search for these people? In the meantime the thieves made off with my Bag on Push Bikes! Avon and Somerset Constabulary called me back some 8 hours later to take the report! By which time The criminals were long gone with the contents of my Handbag leaving me with a hefty repair bill to my car for smashed windows and the loss of my personal space and huge amounts of aggravation in dealing with banks etc.......whilst I appreciate that our police services are stretched to the limit due to under funding the fact remains that if the police give guide lines to what they class as priority then quite clearly the crime that was committed yesterday would not have been classed an emergency (bearing the time delay in the return call ) and with a prior knowledge of this I probably would not have called 999, The crime would no doubt have gone unreported, Think of the amount of aggravated crime that happens in this area or indeed country? Ask yourselves this. Would an acceptance of this behavior begin to increase due to police guidelines on what they class as priority?, and consequently would crime statistics for the Avon and Somerset area would fall making the Area percentages for crime look rosy? No doubt leaving us decent hard working majority disillusioned with the law enforcement in the area, as a result would there be less call for our current government to provide adequate funding for our police service? This would surely be a vicious circle that continues in a downward spiral ...........I would urge everyone to use their discretion on using the 999 service. Illegal raves need to be reported..... but if you are not personally threatened then it is not the sort of 999 call I would be making but if you consider that your personal safety is under threat or has been threatened then ring the number. If more crime is reported then maybe, just maybe, we will see an increase in funding for the ladies and gentleman that police our streets under increasingly difficult circumstances due to the dysfunctional individuals that continue to scourge this country with no regard or respect for others or themselves. I think its about time that these low life's are dealt with to prevent Gun crime Knife Crime Bag Snatching, Car crime, Burglary, Assaults, Drugs..........To name just a few Offences that just Scratch the surface of the social problems in this country. If police issue guidelines on what is an emergancy or not, then they are indicating an acceptance of the breaking of the laws of this country when they are policing those very same laws let's face it...its just not going to happen!......Let common sense prevail..use the 999 service but don't abuse the service.”
by Graeme, Knowle
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 3:11PM
“I witness a yob smashing up a shopping trolley. Mindless vandalism which wasn't hurt anyone, so I called the non-emergency number. The woman at the end made me feel like I was a sad old man for reporting such a trivial matter but then I was contacted by our local PC who told me that, as it was an act of vandalism, I should have dialled 999. There should be some clarity given rather than constantly complaining about the nuisance calls they receive.”
by Ali, Bristol
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 2:19PM
“Well said John - could also be laziness to find it??”
by John, Gloucestershire
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 1:45PM
“"Ok its in the Yellow Pages which most people have received the latest edition but who uses them these days with the internet and directory enquiries? "
Surely if so many people use the internet they can google "Avon and Somerset Police". Its easy to find on the net and easier with directory enquiries.
The non emergency number isnt some secret number, anyone can find it easily . People wll still use 999 tho for non-emergencies because the general public are stupid”
by Ali, Bristol
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 1:36PM
“Why dont they advertise the non-emergency number a bit more. Ok its in the Yellow Pages which most people have received the latest edition but who uses them these days with the internet and directory enquiries? I have the number in my phone and have given it out several times to work colleagues and friends for non-emergency calls. If they can get a bride to church when her car breaks down then surely they can advertise the non-emergency number???”
by Ali, Bristol
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 1:35PM
“Why dont they advertise the non-emergency number a bit more. Ok its in the Yellow Pages which most people have received the latest edition but who uses them these days with the internet and directory enquiries? I have the number in my phone and have given it out several times to work colleagues and friends for non-emergency calls.”
by jonno, Gloucestershire
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 12:20PM
“Granted there may be the odd few calls where whether the call is an emergency is subjective, but these figures are ridiculous.
An illegal rave is by no stretch of the imagination an emergency. Likewise I bet most the examples are obvious to most sensible people.”
by mary, forest of dean
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 11:34AM
“One problem with this statistic is that whilst to the police it isn't classed as an emergency sometimes to the individual it is an emergency. Maybe the police could produce a list via the post that lists what is and isn't an emergency in their eyes and maybe royal mail could put a flyer through everyones doors from the police stating the same. But then if someone thinks its an emergency they'll forget the advice and will call 999. Don't think the emergency services will ever win this.”
by MikeMSN, Midsomer Norton
Tuesday, September 30 2008, 10:26AM
“"The safest city in the world"?!
I don't think Singapore etc will have to feel the competition from Bristol very much, really. Let's just make Bristol a decent place where you feel safe at night - that'll be difficult enough in all conscience. And leave the world to take care of itself.”