Suffolk Police Click Before You Call campaign urges public not to call 999 for non-emergency reasons

Lost parcels, market opening times and power cuts are just a few of the issues people in Suffolk have deemed important enough to call 999 about.

Suffolk Police launched its Click Before You Call campaign last year to urge the county's residents to think carefully before calling emergency numbers 999 or 101.

It comes after the force revealed it received almost 1,000 more calls on some July days than it did on New Year's Eve, which is usually its busiest day.

It also gave examples of inappropriate calls it had received from members of the public, including asking for help with a broken television, requesting advice about solicitors and enquiring about phone numbers for the DVLA and passport office.

Below is a full list of questions people asked emergency operators in Suffolk:

• Have you got the telephone number for the magistrates’ court?
• There is an injured seal on the beach
• I need a solicitor; can you advise?
• I need a doctor/medical treatment.
• I’ve locked myself out of my car.
• I’ve locked myself out of my house.
• I have been left a note by a courier to say a parcel has been delivered but there is no parcel?
• I’m moving home and would like to know what the crime is like in the area?
• What time does the market open?
• My TV isn’t working, can you come and have a look?
• I have just had a parcel delivered and it is damaged?
• I can smell gas.. I have a water leak.. I have a power cut.
• Request for the DVLA, Trading Standards, Passport office telephone numbers.

Superintendent Kerry Cutler said: “There is no doubt we have a large number of calls coming in that could be dealt with via online reporting or by looking at our information pages.

"We are also utilising Live Chat at periods to reduce call demand and waiting times. This is a pilot, but we continue to test this in various forms as a means of resolving ‘calls’ digitally therefore, providing advice quickly and freeing up call takers so they can assist with other matters.”

Anything we can do to take the pressure off the control room would be very welcome. - Tim Passmore

Tim Passmore, police and crime commissioner, said: “Summer is always a busy time in our beautiful county and if July is anything to go by, it is set to be even busier this month as we are all holidaying closer to home.

“Whilst increased numbers of visitors in the county is great news for the local economy, this will impact on the number of calls into our Contact and Control Room over the summer period.

“Anything we can do to take the pressure off the control room would be very welcome, so I would encourage anyone who needs to contact the constabulary, and it’s not an emergency, to consider using on the website.

"Reporting online will be quicker for you; the matter will be dealt with in the same way as a call and it will reduce pressure on the control room to prioritise the more urgent calls and support the more vulnerable members of our community.”

He also urged the public to use the online service for non-emergency matters and to only call 999 when an emergency is ongoing.

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