111 system report

[scumdog]

Truth is Lou and others, do you think that Comms operators and Cops screw-up by choice?
No way, lack of resources etc grind you down and then a mistake nails you, if those that screwed up left because they screwed up then there would sweet eff all left to do the job.

Any counter -ideas????

[Storm]

On my personal experience, I'd have to agree with the thought that its those at the top of the tree that are doing the shafting. Unfortunatly, its just another sign of the country going downhill due to politicians and other numbskulls in charge of our tax money.

On a slightly different note, has the old chestnut of " should we separate the police into Traffic and Other Stuff dept's" been brought up lately at the decision making level ?

[MadDuck]

Well last week I got caught in a situation that required a call to 111. I got through to comms in Christchurch and I have nothing bad to say about how they (was a she by the way) handled the call. The local police turned up on my doorstep the next day having had the call from Christchurch.

It wasnt an emergency but there was nowhere else for me to go and I felt kinda bad about tying up a line in case someone was really in trouble. but where do we go when we are in that situation? The local cop shop closes at like 5pm.

They may handle hundreds of calls a day and maybe one or two get fucked up. Lets put it in perspective. If it was an easy job we would all be doing it!

[Ixion]

I think one very good recommendation in the report is establishing an intermediate "not an emergency but do need to speak to someone " number. At present apart from 111 you have to try to contact "the local police station" Anyone who's tried to do the latter will know how difficult it is - especially after "business hours"

*555 is theoretically along those lines, but I've been told that it actually achieves nothing .

[Lou Girardin]

*555 is theoretically along those lines, but I've been told that it actually achieves nothing .

It's actually a venting system for the chronically grumpy, more of a public mental health service.

[marty]

111 is for police, fire and ambo. If there are so many problems with the 111 service why haven't we heard of them affecting fire or ambo.

Or does the 111 service "split up" and the problem is with the police split ?

neither fire nor ambos have a requirement for 2 way chat, checks etc - they are dispatched the job, then it is up to the unit to deal with it. i wish some knockers could go to comms and see how snowed under the police communicators really are - with fire comms (in the same office as police) sitting back literally with their feet on the desk. how many fire 111 calls do you think come through in a day compared to police 111?

[Biff]

Across Europe (started in the UK) there's a national freephone number currently being introduced for non emergency calls. These calls are generally routed to your nearest open police station, or staff at the central control room not involved in taking routine emergency calls. It has been heralded an overwhelming success so far by all three primary emergency services.

I've sat in a fire control room and heard an operator take an emergency call (999 or 112 in the UK) from a lady complaining that a bird had been sitting on a power cable for "almost ten minutes". "That's what birds do madam", replied the operator. Apparently this kind of crap ties up so much control room operator’s time that 'real' emergencies are sometimes prevented from being responded to in a timely manner because idiots/mentally disturbed people hog the line.

[spudchucka]

Apparently this kind of crap ties up so much control room operator’s time that 'real' emergencies are sometimes prevented from being responded to in a timely manner because idiots/mentally disturbed people hog the line.

100% correct.

[idb]

Across Europe (started in the UK) there's a national freephone number currently being introduced for non emergency calls. These calls are generally routed to your nearest open police station, or staff at the central control room not involved in taking routine emergency calls. It has been heralded an overwhelming success so far by all three primary emergency services.

I've sat in a fire control room and heard an operator take an emergency call (999 or 112 in the UK) from a lady complaining that a bird had been sitting on a power cable for "almost ten minutes". "That's what birds do madam", replied the operator. Apparently this kind of crap ties up so much control room operator’s time that 'real' emergencies are sometimes prevented from being responded to in a timely manner because idiots/mentally disturbed people hog the line.

As much as I hate them, maybe the Police should try to get a reality show similar to Border Patrol or Airline off the ground based in the comms centre.
It may have the effect of shifting the public's negative focus from the folks at the coal face.

[Wolf]

from a lady complaining that a bird had been sitting on a power cable for "almost ten minutes". "That's what birds do madam", replied the operator.

It is precisely this irresponsible, and dare I say "glib", attitude that makes the call centres the inefficient messes they are. Clearly the operator should be sacked for not instantly calling out the nearest armed service to despatch a squad with rocket launchers to deal with the situation.

I wonder how many people actually do dial 111 and ask for the fire brigade to get their cat out of a tree, "thanks" to all those silly movies.

[Biff]

As much as I hate them, maybe the Police should try to get a reality show similar to Border Patrol or Airline off the ground based in the comms centre.

It'd have to have 'real' cops on it as well, responding to the emergencies, otherwise it'd get a wee bit boring just watching a few emergency calls coming in every now and then.

Good idea though. It'd certainly give joe public a better understanding of the crap, stress and tears these folk go through.

[madboy]

As much as I hate them, maybe the Police should try to get a reality show similar to Border Patrol or Airline off the ground based in the comms centre.
It may have the effect of shifting the public's negative focus from the folks at the coal face.

The logic behind that wouldn't necessarily sit with a human being's natural response to situations, which is to become irrational and illogical. People focus on the negative.

As I've prob said before in other threads, your average Jo Blow sees a cop when their house gets burgled or when they get a ticket. In case 1, they're pissed cos the cops were too busy to attend straight away, and in case 2 they were probably doing a speed that they thought was quite alright until Mr HP appeared over the horizon with his laser gun. Either way, not a positive image for Police. Very quickly that person will forget the reality TV that showed poor comms people tearing their hair out dealing with some nut job.

The people who do the stealing or the "serious" speeds don't give a toss about the cops anyway, so reality TV turns into educational TV.

In saying that - I'd watch it

[Lou Girardin]

Does it matter if comms is a crap/stressfull/boring, whatever job? They used to use cops that were no longer up to front line work or were injured. Whoever they use, they should be well trained and motivated. Using the above to justify inadequate service is pathetic.
It's a crucial life-saving job and the Police shouldn't be penny pinching in this area.
We don't see any signs of economising in the HP units, do we?

[MrMelon]

I thought somebody that worked for the police would have a more insightfull opinion of their employers.

Or don't you remember this private troll......

So do you work for the police or are you full of shit as I suspect?

He never claimed to work for the police, but his job involves working with the police on a fairly regular basis..

[drummer]

I thought somebody that worked for the police would have a more insightfull opinion of their employers.

Or don't you remember this private troll......




So do you work for the police or are you full of shit as I suspect?

Mate... you promote yorself as a policeman... and now you abuse people... you accused me of doing just that but can't back it up... where are you at?