Force issues advice to those needing to make contact over the busy summer months

Summer is always a busy time for policing and while the force has been working hard to make improvements to reduce call times, we are asking the public to play their part to help ensure those most in need can get through.

Data from the last three years show 999 calls increase an average of 21% during the months June to August.

As part of our commitment to continue to drive down call waiting times and help meet summer demand, we have made considerable investments; recruiting more staff within our contact centres, opening a second call management centre in Portsmouth and launching the innovative Victim’s Portal.

Our new Portal enables people who have reported a crime to check the status of the investigation and message the officer in charge of their case. Not only does this ensure quicker and more consistent communication for the victim but also bypasses the need for them to call 101, helping keep call volume down.

In January 2024 a new contact management centre was opened in Portsmouth to improve the call handling capability across the force, meeting the changing demands.

To further reduce the demand on our call handlers, and ensure they are able to help those in genuine need as quickly as possible, the force is asking communities to:

• Only call 999 if there is a danger to life, a crime is happening at that time, or has just happened, you have immediate concerns for safety or you see something suspicious that needs immediate attention.
• If you do find yourself dialling 999 by mistake, please stay on the line until you’ve spoken to a call handler as this helps us resolve the call more quickly.
  - If it’s not an emergency you can call us on 101, but before you pick up the phone, consider if you can report the matter online. It’s quick, more convenient for you and handled by the same police team who answer calls who will ensure your report or enquiry is dealt with in a timely manner. By reporting information and crime online you also help keep our lines free for emergency calls
• You can also attend one of our police stations to make a report in person. Station opening hours can be found on our website. https://www.hampshire.police.uk/contact/find-a-police-station/

Superintendent Rob Brind, said: “We’re committed to continuing to drive down call waiting times and in the last year have made significant investment in recruiting more staff, opening a second contact management centre and launching the Victim’s Portal, meaning victims can directly message the officer in their case rather than calling through on 101.

"We’re already seeing the positive impact these changes have made.

“However, we need the help of the community to continue to improve. The number of calls coming in to the police and other agencies tend to increase over the summer months. The fact that there are longer days, warmer weather and tourism coming into Hampshire and the Isle of Wight all play a big part. We need to ensure our lines of contact are used correctly so we can be available to answer 999 calls from people who urgently need our help.

“As always, it’s important that people think about how they are going to contact us.

“By using these different methods, you will help us prioritise emergency 999 calls to respond to those most in need of assistance, and reduce the amount of unnecessary 101 calls coming in. Being able to answer calls quickly, especially during an emergency, is crucial to helping keep our communities safe.”

We are already seeing the positive impact this year’s improvements have made:

• In May 2024 we answered 91.8% of 999 calls within 10 seconds, compared to 78.9% in May 2023.
• In May 2024 our average call answering time for 101 calls was just over three minutes compared to almost 14 minutes in May 2023.
• During 2023/24 we saw a rise of 18% of reports being submitted online.