Crime Tsunami? Options

[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?

[GMR]

There is only one number I know and that is 999; if I need the police then as far as I am concerned it is an emergency.

A friend phoned up the police and they said "it is an emergency" in which he replied "no" and they turned up three days later (he as reporting a crime, but the suspects had left); the moral to that incident is that it is always an emergency.

[GMR]

There is only one number I know and that is 999; if I need the police then as far as I am concerned it is an emergency.

A friend phoned up the police and they said "it is an emergency" in which he replied "no" and they turned up three days later (he as reporting a crime, but the suspects had left); the moral to that incident is that it is always an emergency.

[Darren]

This is all, however, irrelevant in this thread.

I don't think it's irrelevant.

The percieved increase in crime can well be down to the police being run ragged by complaints about things that are not a police matter. There are other agencies that that are set up to deal with them.

All my examples are based on personal experience. This also included a call from a certain major high street food/clothing store that called in demanding an officer to attend and tell the person playing bagpipes across the road to move as it was driving customers away!!!

[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.

[Iommi]

I don't think it's irrelevant.

The perceived increase in crime can well be down to the police being run ragged by complaints about things that are not a police matter. There are other agencies that that are set up to deal with them.

All my examples are based on personal experience. This also included a call from a certain major high street food/clothing store that called in demanding an officer to attend and tell the person playing bagpipes across the road to move as it was driving customers away!!!

And the police are not able to deal with these issues? That is to say, why can they not advise the complainant that it isn't a police matter, why are they run ragged by issues that don't concern them? Perhaps some one should have a word with Old Bill about how they use their time?

Mind you, seeing how quiet Newbury usually is, I suppose they are glad for an excuse to get off their backsides for a while!

[JeffG]

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.

Man, you have a bad attitude.

Why not write this down: 0845 8505505. It took me nearly a minute to look it up in the phone book.

And it doesn't "ring off the hook" (when was the last time you called it?) - I've always got through very quickly.

I would never call 999 in a non-emergency. That is just plain selfish: "my call is just as important as the guy down the road having a heart attack".

And I don't care if you think this is irrelevant in this thread.

[Darren]

Ahem.

I wasn't the one who first mentioned about calls no longer going to Newbury police station.

I wasn't the one who first mention TVP placing most resources in the Reading area and Newbury being less resourced

I wasn't the one who first mentioned Newbury police being over-worked and under-manned.

So, would someone be so kind as to explain why my comments are irrelevant to this discussion?

[Iommi]

Man, you have a bad attitude.

Why do you say that?

Why not write this down: 0845 8505505. It took me nearly a minute to look it up in the phone book.

I also found this site as well (re. 0845 police rip-off).

http://www.crimestoppers.org.uk

And it doesn't "ring off the hook" (when was the last time you called it?) - I've always got through very quickly.

I have NEVER rung this or 999, nor have I ever needed to!!!

I would never call 999 in a non-emergency. That is just plain selfish: "my call is just as important as the guy down the road having a heart attack".

You haven't read my post properly have you!!! NOR WOULD I RING 999 unless it was an emergency!!! I was speaking generally, NOT about what I believe is right. Read what I have written again and tell me where you think it has bad attitude!

And I don't care if you think this is irrelevant in this thread.

That is you prerogative, but it just makes you ignorant of good etiquette on forums. The original poster has already explained that this wasn't intended as a Police bashing thread, yet you ignorantly persist in keeping off topic, which includes being abusive.

[Darren]

I also found this site as well (re. 0845 police rip-off).

http://www.crimestoppers.org.uk

From saynoto0870.com

Thames Valley Police 0845 850 5505 01865 841148 Enquiries &
NON emergency calls ONLY

[Iommi]

So, would someone be so kind as to explain why my comments are irrelevant to this discussion?

No, you are right, I take it back, it seems the police are 'run ragged' dealing with pointless tasks that they have no obligation to fulfill!

[Iommi]

From saynoto0870.com

Thames Valley Police 0845 850 5505 01865 841148 Enquiries &
NON emergency calls ONLY

I'm unable to check this page's integrity, but...

"STOP THE 0845 MONEY MAKING NOW - IF YOUR POLICE AREA IS A MONEY MAKER - WEAK EXCUSES WILL BE MADE TO CONTINUE NOT TO CHANGE TO 0300

Such as:

'It will cost too much to change" "The excess money made goes to charity" "The public will not remember a new number"

The largest Police Force in the UK has managed to change and they were not ripping people off in the first place (Metropolitan Police - London) 0300 123 1212

Complain to your Police Authority, Member of Parliament - they can only ignore people for so long. Yes the Home Office stand idly by, Gordon gleefully (no doubt) counts the extra Tax."

...what were we talking arguing about again? I've lost my thread!

[Darren]

No, you are right, I take it back, it seems the police are 'run ragged' dealing with pointless tasks that they have no obligation to fulfill!

Quite
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7489457.stm

[Iommi]

Quite
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7489457.stm

And it would seem that a subtle change in the way they handle calls, they have seen a drop in trivial calls, excellent!

[GMR]

Quite
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7489457.stm

That was brilliant! I loved the moon thing. "Yes, it is the moon, over!"

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Please do not call 999 unless it is a MURDER.

If you have problems such as burglary, low life drug dealing, drunks urinating in your garden, pub fights, general theft then please call the alternative number that will be coming soon.

VIGILANTES R'US - LETS LYNCH THE SCUM on 0800 . . . . . . . (We would not want to make a profit out of a good lynching or two)

[GMR]

Please do not call 999 unless it is a MURDER.

If you have problems such as burglary, low life drug dealing, drunks urinating in your garden, pub fights, general theft then please call the alternative number that will be coming soon.

VIGILANTES R'US - LETS LYNCH THE SCUM on 0800 . . . . . . . (We would not want to make a profit out of a good lynching or two)

The time will come when that will happen. If the police/ government/ courts don't get to grips with certain nasty elements within our society then people might start to take the law into their own hands.

[JeffG]

Why do you say that?

This was concerning my "bad attitude" comment, because you implied it didn't matter if someone called 999 in a non-emergency, because the operator could just clear the call. I'm sorry if you thought that was abusive.

I also found this site as well (re. 0845 police rip-off).

http://www.crimestoppers.org.uk

Well, that's news to me. I know about 0870 of course, but I thought 0845 was local call rate.

(By the way, that site is itself a politically-motivated rip-off of the official Crimestoppers web site which is http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/)

I have NEVER rung this or 999, nor have I ever needed to!!!

Then you are a very fortunate person.

... it just makes you ignorant of good etiquette on forums. The original poster has already explained that this wasn't intended as a Police bashing thread, yet you ignorantly persist in keeping off topic, which includes being abusive.

Please don't call me ignorant (twice). That I regard as abusive. I am well aware of good netiquette, and have used forums for years with no problem. I was responding directly to comments you made in this thread.

And where in the whole of my post was I in any way "police bashing"?

[anon123]

I have been watching with a slight grin on my face. Firstly this thread has gone way off topic, calls to police have nothing to do with the crime levels, why? Because you can't crime a crime that doesnt exsist. Therefore if it is not a crime being reported it is not a crime!!! Make sense.

Secondly yes the police deal with a lot of things that should be dealt with by other agency's who work 9-5 mon-fri!!

As for call levels, i used to answer 999 calls yes there are alot that are not emergency's... example:
Me: Police emergency.
Caller: there is a fire in the field nearby.
Me: have you called the fire brigade.
Caller: no i didnt want to disturb them!!!!!!

But you must remember that whilst the police deal with a lot that should be the responsibility of other agencys, when something bad happens then the police are the first people to be blamed!!!!!!!!

And yes all the resources that used to be in Newbury have been sucked into Reading that's why you see less in Newbury. So to that extent it does not take a genius to work out why the perceived crime levels have risen. That said I have been in Newbury for sometime and although there are less officers I do not feel crime has risen!!

Lastly when I originally posted I made mention of that fact that if police officers post they generally get a bashing, I was surprised when most said they had respect for the police. Surprised because having read other threads it seemed to be the people who bashed the police that this was coming from.
So I'm not surprised that a police bashing is exactly what this thread has turned into.

If you want the police to engage and discuss with you then talk like grown ups and be sensible about it. Rather than turning every thread into a rantathon.


P.S last time I called work on the 0845 number it showed as local rate on my phone bill.

[Iommi]

Anon123, if I support a football team, sometimes I will bash them if I feel they have fallen short of expectation, but that doesn't mean I have stopped supporting them!

My point about non emergency 999 calls is that provided they are called in good faith I don't have a problem with that as with a small amount of good call management, it needn't usually pose a problem. In my job I rather people assume an emergency which turns out to be false, than for it to be ignored when it is.