Think Before You Call
Responsive around the clock, our Contact Centre within the Demand Hub sits at the very heart of our operations.
It’s the part of Cambridgeshire Constabulary that handles all incoming emergency and non-emergency calls from the public.
On average, we receive 1,500 calls to our 101 and 999 lines each day. Although many of those calls are genuine incidents, a large majority:
- should have been called into other agencies instead (local council / fire or ambulance service)
- should have been dealt with in a more efficient way (using online reports / web chat in non-emergencies rather than calling 101)
- do not require any kind of assistance at all (hoax / accidental calls)
Call Handlers spend time taking and logging those misplaced calls, which is why we're asking you to Think Before You Call, to help save operators' time on the line for those who need us most.
Watch our latest video to learn more.
Misuse of our phone lines is one of the many reasons our call handlers get so busy during peak times. To raise awareness of this, we are sharing some real audio clips of calls to the emergency line.
Call handlers receive calls like this every day and must remain professional knowing there could be someone in serious danger who they're unable to help due to people misusing the 999 line. Please always #ThinkBeforeYouCall
If you are ever unsure about whether to call us or not, you can speak to a live web chat operator to ask for advice if you have online access (just click the chat icon in the corner of the screen to start a chat).
Additionally, you can find a wealth of information on the Advice and Information pages which you can take a look at before contacting us.
Ask the Police is also an official police resource that provides the answers to a wide variety of policing questions frequently asked by the general public.
Together we can help to keep our 101 and 999 phone lines free for those who need us most.