Are you aware that it’s now much easier for you to contact West Mercia Police?

You’re not? Well, read on and you’ll discover how much easier it now is to contact your local police force writes Chris Ammonds of Telford Police.

On Tuesday 8th November, West Mercia Police introduced a new three-digit national phone number for people to use to report incidents.

101 is now the number to call when you want to contact the police – when it’s less urgent than 999. The 101 service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and your call will be answered by a police operator.

And please be reassured that calling this number isn’t going to rack up an enormous phone bill! Calls to 101 from landlines and mobile networks cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day and how long you are on the phone.

We really hope the new, shorter number will be much easier for people to use and eventually become almost as memorable as the police emergency phone number 999.

Giving the public this memorable number should not only make it easier for people to report crime, but hopefully it will also ease the pressure on
the 999 system too.

Every single day, we receive a number of inappropriate calls on 999 and these can stop or delay people with real emergencies getting through to
us. We needed to find a way to prevent this problem and we’re confident that 101 is it.

Our aim is to always provide the highest levels of customer service and we hope that adopting 101 will allow us to better prioritise the most
urgent calls for help.

So, when should you use the new number?

101 should be used to report less urgent crime or disorder and for general police enquiries. For example:

• If your car has been stolen
• If your property has been damaged
• When you suspect drug use or dealing
• To report a minor traffic collision
• To give the police information about crime in your area

However, please remember that 999 should still be used in an emergency, especially when:

• There is danger to life or risk of injury
• A crime is in progress and the offender is still at the scene or has only just left
• Immediate police attendance is necessary such as when a crime is obviously about to be committed

The public should also be aware that the old non emergency phone number – 0300 333 3000 – continues to operate as a general switchboard number which should be used to speak to a particular person or department, for example, if you want to speak to your Local Policing Team.

But please, in an emergency, always call 999 if a crime is in progress, if someone suspected of a crime is nearby, if there’s danger to life or when
violence is being used or threatened.

To find out more about 101 and when to use it visit http://www.westmercia.police.uk.