Norfolk Police must improve how it handles emergency calls from vulnerable people- says report
This review was commissioned in January 2024 by the then Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, (Giles Orpen Smellie)
Last updated 24th May 2024
A national inspectorate has found that Norfolk Police must improve in how it handles and responds to emergency calls involving vulnerable people.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary reviewed almost 500 emergency 999 calls, said call handlers provide an effective and professional service- on the whole.
But found there were inconsistency when it came to recording information, staff training and overseeing decisions.
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His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Roy Wilsher said:
“We found that Norfolk Constabulary’s call handlers provide a high level of service to the public. However, we found some areas that need to be improved. This is particularly relevant to the identification of, and response to, those that are vulnerable.
“The force must make sure it has robust quality assurance measures in place to ensure processes are consistent, and it should provide staff with relevant training to help them to correctly identify vulnerable people.
“The force’s new approach to risk assessment and the introduction of the Right Care Right Person model will help formalise the working arrangement that the force has with other agencies. The result will be that incidents that aren’t police matters are dealt with by the most appropriate agency.”
This review was commissioned in January 2024 by the then Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, (Giles Orpen Smellie).
Following the deaths of four people at a house in Costessey in January after a 999 call, made an hour before police attended, was not responded to.
"We accept the findings around inconsistencies"
Responding to the report, Chief Constable Paul Sanford said:
“I welcome this report and it is pleasing to see that overall, inspectors found we provide a high level of service to the public, often in demanding circumstances. The inspectorate found calls were answered well; our staff are polite, professional, and acted appropriately in 99.3% of the calls audited for the report.
“We accept the findings around inconsistencies in how information is recorded for calls relating to vulnerable people and that this doesn’t always happen.
“We have already taken steps to address this through our work to implement the Right Care Right Person (RCRP) initiative, which has seen changes to our systems in the control room, which means call handlers will have to record details for such calls in the future.
“As announced earlier this week, we are launching the RCRP initiative Wednesday (29 May). The findings from this report provide further evidence that this is the right thing to do and that the public will receive an improved service, which also goes some way to address issues identified in this report.”
"The demand we deal with is vast"
Last year the room dealt with more than 450,000 calls for service including emergency and non-emergency calls, reports via our website, live chat service and emails, according to Norfolk Police.
Mr Sanford added: “Control room staff work in a demanding and dynamic environment and this is evidenced in the report in reference to a call handler who maintained contact with a suicidal missing person for thirty minutes; providing reassurance and support and preventing them from taking their own life.
“The demand we deal with is vast and we maintain one of the fastest average answer times in the country for emergency calls, answering 90% of 999 calls in 10 seconds.
“We have already taken action to address the issues identified in this report and I hope this provides a degree of reassurance to the public about our call handling processes.”
The full report can be read here.