Police are reminding the public to consider the needs of others when calling 999 in a non-emergency situation. The timely reminder comes after the Force released an audio clip of a woman calling the emergency line to report an issue with the supermarket Morrison’s after paying the wrong amount for a bottle of fruit squash. When told by the call handler that her issue was certainly not a police matter, the caller then confessed the reason she rang was because she was unable to get through to the supermarket’s customer service line.Chief Superintendent Supt Neil Hutchison from the Communications and Operations department at Northumbria Police said: “Calls like these might seem harmless and even funny, but they create a huge demand on the staff working in the communications centre who could otherwise be busy dealing with genuine emergencies.“Hundreds of calls come into our communications centres every day and we want to be able to deliver an outstanding … [Read more...] about Police urge the public to avoid 999 calls in non-emergency situations
Police department non emergency
State Dept Evacuates ‘Non-Emergency’ Staffers From Haiti Amid Violent Protests
It also advised US nationals not to travel to the country due to crime and unrest there, saying that the US government’s ability to provide emergency services to US nationals in Haiti was limited. READ MORE: Haiti's President Accepts Gov't Resignation Amid Deadly Fuel Price Protests The statement mentioned frequent cases of protests, tire burning, road blockages and violent crime in Haiti. It noted that local police and medics lacked resources to effectively address the situation. © Sputnik / Vladimir AstapkovichHaiti's Suffering is ‘Fruit of Many Years of Imperial Malfeasance' by WashingtonMoreover, travelers are sometimes targeted right after leaving the Port-au-Prince international airport, according to the State Department. The US diplomats, who are currently in Haiti, were warned against walking outside, using public transportation, driving outside Port-au-Prince at night, visiting public … [Read more...] about State Dept Evacuates ‘Non-Emergency’ Staffers From Haiti Amid Violent Protests
Northumbria Police thank public after no nuisance calls reported over New Year
Northumbria Police received more than 1,000 calls over New Year’s night ... and not one nuisance call was reported. Leading officers have praised the 'tireless work' of the staff over one of the busiest periods of the year – with all 999 calls answered within eight seconds. This year, between 7pm on New Year’s Eve and 7am on New Year’s Day, the force received 796 emergency 999 calls and 365 101 calls – a total of a total of 1,161.Despite it being a busy night, all 999 calls were answered two seconds quicker than the Force-wide target and officers were pleased to see no calls were made which wasted police time.Superintendent Paul Stewart, of the communications department, said: “This is always one of the busiest nights of the year for our control handlers and we usually see a spike in calls.“This year, while we saw an increase to calls to our emergency number, calls to 101 fell and our total number of calls was considerably lower than last … [Read more...] about Northumbria Police thank public after no nuisance calls reported over New Year
Plea to use 999 number responsibly as Notts Police receive call from woman who wants a lift home
Nottinghamshire Police has released details of some of the misplaced 999 calls it has received recently in a bid to encourage people to use the emergency number correctly. Calls received over the last few weeks by the force on the 999 number have included a woman who wanted a lift home, someone who was requesting help after their oven door smashed while they were cooking a turket and someone wanting to settle an argument with a friend about firearms licensing laws.As the force gears up for New Year's Eve, one of the busiest nights of the year for its call handlers, it is now encouraging people to only use 999 in a genuine emergency.The force has released a video featuring a call from a woman who, instead of calling a taxi, has called 999 to request that Nottinghamshire Police arrange for her to be picked-up and given a lift home.In the last few weeks alone, Nottinghamshire Police has received misplaced ‘emergency’ calls from members of the public asking for help:Getting … [Read more...] about Plea to use 999 number responsibly as Notts Police receive call from woman who wants a lift home
Think twice this New Year’s Eve before ringing the police
Police are reminding the public to think twice before they pick up the phone as call handlers prepare for a busy shift this New Year’s Eve. Last year, New Year’s Eve saw a spike in the number of calls for service to the Northumbria Police control room, with more than 1,400 people contacting police.It creates a huge demand on the staff working in the communications centre who often have to deal with non-police matters instead of genuine emergencies.Last year some of the calls to 101 and 999 included people complaining they couldn’t find a taxi home while others called to thank police for keeping them safe over New Year.Now, police have asked the public to consider reporting non-emergency incidents online – and to only call 999 if they need urgent assistance from police.Superintendent Paul Stewart, of the Communications Department, said: “This is one of the busiest nights of the year for our control handlers and historically we always see a spike in calls to … [Read more...] about Think twice this New Year’s Eve before ringing the police