Crime Tsunami? Options

[Guest_noobree_*]

I think I read in the NWN recently that crime rates in Newbury had increased by 30% in the last year.

I've never been one to argue that simply having more police presence is the solution because life's more complicated than that. It's impossible for the police to be everywhere and there are lots of arguments against the idea of having more coppers on the beat discourages criminals (e.g. they can see the boys and girls in uniform just as easily as we can and they just lie low until the area is clear).

However, the constant drip of burglaries seems to be worsening by the day. Maybe not a Tsunami yet (where we lived before we were burgalled 3 times and that was par for the course) but something bad is happening. And down here south of the river we rarely see either police on the beat.

My guess is that TVP concentrate their personpower in Reading and other hotspots and that leafy Newbury gets a bad deal.

Are there any pf the girls and boys in blue on here who could shed some anonymous light on the problem? Maybe the whole thing has been caused by Neigbourhood Action Groups - crime has certainly rocketed since they were established!!

[Darren]

I said public service, not emergency services.

[Iommi]

I said public service, not emergency services.

It might be that people misuse 999, but provided it is not malicious I don't see the problem as such, but what it does suggest, is there is a need for a general citizens help line that people could be directed to. People will ask for the police because they seem the logical choice of the ones available.

Behind the examples of non emergency examples you cite, could lie a crime. I feel, however, the police should always be involved where the public's welfare or property is at risk.

House been burgled? Call the police (a legitimate call I think)

stolen car? Call the police (a legitimate call I think)

lost my cat? Call the police (not legit)

noisy party you weren't invited to ? Call the police (a legitimate call I think, should it become too rowdy)

pothole in road. call police and demand it's filled in (a legitimate call I think, if it is dangerous to road users)

car parked on road with VEL that expired yesterday? Dial 999 and ask for police (not legit)


While the above are not necessarily emergencies, it is more than likely that people dial 999 because it is a familiar number and can be dialled 24/7. Emergency is a subjective term and most people, I would imagine, feel their call is an emergency.


This is all, however, irrelevant in this thread.

[JeffG]

It might be that people misuse 999, but provided it is not malicious I don't see the problem as such

Misuse of the 999 service is a big problem. It wastes the operator's time when there may be a real emergency to be dealt with.

what it does suggest, is there is a need for a general citizens help line

Some counties e.g. Hampshire have been trialling just such a number for reporting non-emergencies (I think it's 111). We in Berkshire have to look up the 0845 number for Kidlington.

House been burgled? Call the police (a legitimate call I think)

stolen car? Call the police (a legitimate call I think)

But definitely not a 999 call, unless it's happening right now.

pothole in road. call police and demand it's filled in (a legitimate call I think, if it is dangerous to road users)

You are joking, right?

[Iommi]

Misuse of the 999 service is a big problem. It wastes the operator's time when there may be a real emergency to be dealt with.

How long does it take an operator to cancel the call as not an emergency? In any case this is about call management, it's fixable, it needn't get in the way of 'real' emergencies.

Some counties e.g. Hampshire have been trialling just such a number for reporting non-emergencies (I think it's 111). We in Berkshire have to look up the 0845 number for Kidlington.

It isn't just about an easy to use number, it is also about getting to speak to someone with one's concern. Non emergency numbers seem to ring off the hook.

But definitely not a 999 call, unless it's happening right now.

See my first point.

You are joking, right?

Not at all, I said if it posed a danger to motorists, in particular, motor cyclists and to a lesser extent bicyclists.

Like I said earlier, but seem to have missed the point. The 999 is a free to use number by any one, that means you are susceptible to calls that the call centre wouldn't regard as an emergency, but I am sure most people use it in good faith. If it is a 'real' problem, then a new call system should be devised.

At the end of the day, the country is full of people all with differing ideas about what constitutes an emergency. Something seemingly harmless and would remain so if dealt with promptly, can sometimes develop into an emergency.

In our country we also have people with differing amounts of wisdom, that is to say, some people don't realise that they are doing wrong, especially if at the time they think they are doing the right thing. Take this thread for instance, Darren and JeffG both seem not to realise that this isn't the correct thread for this discussion.