Wiltshire Police Achieves National 999 Call Target for the First Time

Wiltshire Police has, for the first time, met the national benchmark for 999 call answer rates. The force typically handles an average of 8,000 emergency calls each month. In November, it successfully answered over 90% of these calls within 10 seconds, which is the national objective. This marks a significant improvement from March, when the force was ranked as the lowest-performing in the country. Chief Inspector Al Lumley stated that the department plans to continue to “push forwards” for further improvements in 2025. Monthly records of 999 call answer rates are maintained and distributed to all police forces nationwide. “It’s not a league table but we use it to compare ourselves against other forces,” Ch Insp Lumley explained. Wiltshire Police’s ranking improved from 44th, the lowest in the country, in March to 21st in November. He further commented, “We’re not happy with being average, our focus hasn’t stopped.” According to him, a new initiative involving demand analysis and the most recent group of new call operators is anticipated to help the force “go up that table even more” in 2025. Ch Insp Lumley remarked, “The amount of responsibility they have and the amount of hats they have to wear is astronomical.” Responding to 999 calls constitutes approximately 50% of a call operator’s duties, and incorporating flexibility into the system is credited with contributing to the force’s improvement. “When demand is outstripping capacity, the room will flex,” Ch Insp Lumley stated. He elaborated, “They’ll (call operators) stop what they’re doing, take on new responsibilities to meet that demand.” Enhanced technology, recruitment efforts, training, and advancements in addressing “empathy fatigue” have also played a role in the improved rates. Ch Insp Lumley mentioned, “Whenever there’s a sentencing for a serious crime we go back to the initial call taker to say, ‘You achieved this’.” He added, “It helps makes sure the operators here are continually reminded that every caller (is experiencing) the most significant moment of their life, and so the operator’s able to give them their best possible service.” Shannon Hibbert, 19, a call handler for 12 months, has observed these changes directly. He commented, “For some people it was quite a low point to know we were at that bottom, (of the table).” “For others it gave us motivation to do better and build our way back up,” he continued. Her initial solo call involved a domestic incident. She stated, “It’s scary, but there’s such an adrenaline rush and you feel quite proud that you can help someone.” “Everyday is different and that’s what I love most about this job. The good days really stick with you,” she added. BBC Wiltshire can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites and provides information on its approach to external linking.