Improvement To Dorset Police 101 Service

5 September 2013, 17:15 | Updated: 5 September 2013, 18:14

Dorset Police say their response to 101 non-emergency calls has improved following complaints about delays in answering calls.

Just over a month ago, Chief Constable Debbie Simpson and Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, agreed that the recruitment of new telephone operators and an investment in technology upgrades would ensure that contact with the public is improved.

Since the announcement, the force says that the percentage of non-emergency calls answered within 30 seconds has risen from 54.2% in July to 69.2% in August. This represents the second best performance for the month of August within the last ten years.

In August, 2393 fewer calls were abandoned due to delays in answering calls than in July.

Chief Constable Debbie Simpson said:

“I am pleased that the measures announced four weeks ago have already contributed to an improved service to the public.

“This achievement is as a result of both the ongoing changes and the Force’s call handling staff, who have worked tirelessly over one of the busiest periods of the year to ensure that over 25,000 calls were answered within an average of 50 seconds.

“Of course, we are not complacent and I will continue to monitor our performance in this area to ensure that standards remain as high as possible.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, said:

“The public have, rightly, been vocal surrounding this crucial 101 non-emergency service and I am pleased that the latest figures are demonstrating a notable improvement.

“Good communication between our communities and the Force’s officers and staff is essential as we need to know all about the concerns of the public in order to ensure that we serve them to the best of our ability.

"It is precisely for that reason that I want the 101 service to be efficient and accessible at all times.”