RESIDENTS across West Mercia are being urged to tell police chiefs about their experiences of using the 101 and 999 phonelines, as well as giving their views on future modes of contacts.
The Police Contact Survey opened this week and runs until June 26.
Participants will be asked a series of questions to test their understanding of emergency and non-emergency reporting systems, as well as newly emerging ways of contacting the police, like web chat, online forms and messaging over social media.
The survey, run by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, will help inform police forces, the Home Office and local commissioners on any challenges around reporting to the police and assist in forming plans for the future.
Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion commended control room staff for their dedicated work at being the first point of contact for many in their time of need, adding he had held the force to account on several occasions seeking reassurance high demand was met and that calls were answered in a timely and appropriate manner.
“Reporting to 101 and 999 remains a challenging area of business for police forces.
“The needs of those making contact must be understood and forces must prioritise those most in need, meaning contact about routine items is sometimes not responded to as quickly as people would like.
“In addition, new technology deployed by some forces such as the Digital Desk here in West Mercia presents significant opportunities to speed up responses and open lines of communication with people who might not be comfortable using traditional methods.
“As the voice of the public in policing, Police and Crime Commissioners are very keen to better understand the views of the community on these issues and I encourage residents from Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire to respond to the survey.”
People can visit smartsurvey.co.uk/s/CrimeReporting-National-Public-Contact-Survey-APCC/ to have their say.
