Concerns raised over slow response to 101 call
The non-emergency police line is working as it should, but sometimes gets overloaded when other services close for the night, the police commissioner has said.
West Mercia Police and Crime Panel member councillor Kuldip Sahota said he was “disappotined” when he got no answer after dialling 101 to pass on information he had received about child sexual exploitation.
Councillor Sahota said he called back half an hour later and was answered by a “very helpful” operator – but said that members of the general public might have given up.
Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said officers might have been busy dealing with other incidents, and Deputy PCC Tracey Onslow said the service’s watchdog was studying the effect diverted calls from mental health and other services had on 101 call answering in the evenings.
Councillor Sahota, an elected member of Telford and Wrekin Council, said: “I had some information regarding CSE and I immediately rang 101 and to pass this on.
“This was about 7pm, or just after, on Friday night, and I tried for about five or ten minutes and there was no answer.
“I put the phone down and tried again half an hour later and it was answered. The police officer was very helpful and took all the information.
Protection
“Had it been an ordinary member of the public and not a councillor like myself they would probably have just given it up in the first instance. I was rather disappointed with that.”
Mr Campion: “That’s the system. If I ring my telephone provider or utility provider and it’s not an emergency and they’re busy and I can’t afford to wait when they’re busy, I ring back later.
“Whilst I’m sorry you were inconvenienced the first time, there might have been an incident going on.
“Even when they’re really busy, the 999 system still works.”
Ms Onslow said: “There is a piece of work being done by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services around the fact that, when other non-24/7 services close at, say, 5pm, a lot of those calls go to the police; things around mental health and protection services.
“Those are very different calls. The nature of those calls can be quite lengthy and quite difficult.”
The panel were discussing a draft of Mr Campion’s annual report, which said 88 per cent of 999 calls in the West Mercia Force area were answered within 10 seconds and just under two thirds of 101 calls were answered in less than 30 seconds.
