John Battle Asks For New National Police Non-Emergency Phone Line

John Battle, Labour MP for Leeds West, has asked the Home Secretary to set up a new national police non-emergency phone line.

“In meetings with police and constituents it’s clear that a crisis is developing around 999 calls. Some dial it accidentally from mobiles, and there is a problem with those who misuse it for non-emergencies – meaning that increasingly it is harder to get through in real emergencies. The real problem is to make sure that 999 calls of real emergency are treated seriously and acted on swiftly.

“Local police chiefs see a new non-emergency police phone number that would be the same number everywhere in the country as vital to solve this growing problem.

“I have tabled a Parliamentary Question asking the Home Secretary what plans he has to introduce a back-up non-emergency police phone line at national level.

“It’s emerging that difficulties contacting the police by phone are the biggest obstacle to more improvements in the service we get from our police.”

Crime in West Yorkshire was 23% down in the first half of this year, with 6,600 fewer burglaries (a 40% drop) and over 1,000 fewer robberies (nearly 50% down) and 8,000 fewer vehicle thefts compared to the first half of 2003. Detection rates have also increased.

©John Battle MP 3rd November 2004

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