Devon and Cornwall Police not meeting 999 response targets, data shows
The force say they will continue to "monitor and scrutinise" call data and look at where they can improve
Last updated 31st May 2022
Nearly all UK police forces are failing to meet a target to answer 90% of emergency calls in under 10 seconds - including in Devon and Cornwall.
That is according to national statistics released for the first time by the Home Office.
It revealed that Avon and Somerset Police was the only force to meet the standard - 43 forces failed to meet it over the six months from November 2021 to April 2022.
Devon and Cornwall Police answered 71% of 999 calls within 10 seconds, with an average answering time of 21 seconds.
Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper said: "Today is the first time that 999 call performance data has been published force by force and we welcome the opportunity to reflect on the data and identify areas of improvement as 999 call volumes continue to increase nationally.
"The new data shows that our average answer time was 21 seconds in April 2022. Also, the average lag time between dialling 999 and being connected to a call handler can be up to six seconds. We are currently reviewing our telephony systems and working with BT to resolve this.
"It is likely that the increase in our call waiting times can be attributed to an increase in calls. When looking back at the previous six months, the volume of 999 calls we answer is consistently around 19,000 – 20,000 calls per month. However, April 2022 saw a 2,000 call increase in 999 calls. In addition the unit has recently been affected by high levels of absence, mainly due to Covid and we also have a number of vacancies within our control room waiting to be filled.
"We will continue to monitor and scrutinise our 999 and 101 call data and look at where we can improve to ensure we are delivering a robust service to the public and keeping our communities safe. We are also working to recruit more staff in to our control room and are currently running a recruitment campaign across Devon and Cornwall to fill vacancies.
"I would like to remind our communities that 999 should only be used for emergencies and that our online services or 101 can be used for non-emergency matters."
Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper - Devon & Cornwall Police
Humberside Police recorded the worst number, with only 2% of calls answered in under 10 seconds. South Yorkshire Police answered 17%, Durham Police 41%, North Yorkshire 44% and Gloucestershire 49%.
The Association for Police and Crime Commissioners local policing leads Alison Hernandez and Jeff Cuthbert said the data shows "the demand for policing and the volume of calls" across the country.
"Police and Crime Commissioners are committed to supporting excellence in policing and will use this data to continually drive forward improvements and hold the police to account on behalf of the public," they added.