Free calls to the emergency services

Everyone likes free stuff.  It's a fact of life.

I know this because I do and every time I am out with the PCC stand at one of the many markets in Wiltshire people come up to the stall and take the free pens and stickers we have on offer.

It has to be said that I hope they don't just come and visit for the goodies - we're primarily there to discuss police and crime issues.   

So, with that in mind, it is welcomed news that from next year callers to the non-emergency 101 number will no longer be charged a 15p connection charge by the telephony provider.

The government has announced that the charge for calling 101 is to be scrapped from April 2020 with the Home Office to spend £5 million a year to meet the connection costs. At present, the telephony provider charges 101 callers a 15p connection fee.

We're currently in the process of improving officer numbers in community policing teams, and it's important to me that the police are as accessible as possible and this week's announcement is a real positive step forward in that sphere.

Over the past two years, significant investment has gone into improving the performance of the Force's Crime and Communications Centre after concerns were raised about the police's performance in answering 101 calls.

The time is takes to answer a 101 call has improved from just over 5 minutes in 2017 to 1.21minutes at the end of 2018.  Also, since then, the rate the public hang-up before their call gets answered has dropped by 17% from 22.2% in 2017 to 4.8% this year.

Reporting crime, passing on intelligence or ringing for an update should not cost anything and this is good news for all - whether you're a victim of crime or someone reporting intelligence.  Doing your duty as a conscientious member of the public should not be taxed - we need to encourage people to come forward not put them off.

And, that brings me on to my next point - the 101 number should be for all emergency services, as it was originally intended, and not just the police 

At the moment it is used as just a police emergency number but ideally 101 should be directed to whichever blue light service the caller needs - fire, ambulance, coast-guard or the police.   

The 15p charge is now to be scrapped, I now want to push for the next step in improving 101 by making it the number for all emergency services.