“I would like to reassure members of the public that we are implementing a number of measures to help deal with the unprecedented increase in demand, now and into the future, but this cannot be done overnight.
“999 emergency calls must take precedence over non-emergencies, and the increase is having a knock-on effect on the time it takes to answer non-emergency calls. We ask the public to please bear with us as we implement the improvement measures over the coming months.
“Our control room staff are working extremely hard as we work to service the increase in demand and implement the changes. It is a very fast-paced and pressurised environment and I must pay tribute to the commitment and resilience they have shown during this time.
“In the meantime, we ask members of the public to use 101 in the correct circumstances. Our website provides information on when to contact the police, the best way to contact us and when to call other agencies such as the council.
“Always call 999 if your safety threatened or in an emergency situation.”
Call numbers this month to date compared to the same time last year
2 July 2016 – 24 July 2016
999 calls – 4,920
101 calls – 19,409
2 July 2017 – 24 July 2017
999 calls – 6,114 (25% increase)
101 calls – 20,498