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When NOT to call 999
Examples of inappropriate 999 calls to Bromley police in the last year.
Individuals called:
- Asking how to get a taxi.
- Asking for a lift home.
- Asking for directions.
- Complaining that benefit payments had not been received.
- Reporting that pet tortoises had been stolen.
ONLY 17 per cent of 999 calls received in the last year by Bromley police were deemed worthy of an emergency response.
From September 10 last year to August 31 this year, Bromley police received 104,224 calls on the emergency phoneline.
Of these, only 18,066 resulted in immediate action by coppers.
Not only should many of the calls not have been made to the 999 number, many were not police matters.
For instance, a woman called the emergency line to ask if officers could pop round to her house to pick up her dogs and drop them off at a relative's because she was staying in hospital over night.
On another occasion, a man called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise.
Superintendent Matt Bell from Bromley Police: "These calls may seem amusing but the callers are clearly misusing the 999 facility.
"I certainly don't want to deter people from calling their local police service, and in fact I often think that sometimes elderly people in particular do not ring as they do not want to bother us.
"But I would just ask people to make sure that they use the most appropriate number when ringing the police."
A more sinister call to the police from a pay phone claimed a nine-year-old girl had been shot in the stomach in Chipperfield Road in St Mary Cray.
A firearms unit was deployed and officers searched, but it turned out to be a hoax.
Mr Bell said: "For every hoax call that is made the potential exists for lives to be put at risk.
"I find that irresponsible and unforgivable that people would make such calls."
Other reasons calls did not get an immediate police response include accidental calls, often by mobile phones unlocked in pockets and handbags.
Crank calls from drunks or abusive people take up police time, sometimes reporting false allegations.
Other crank calls come from secure units at hospital, or children in care, ringing 999 when they are told that they can't do something like watch TV.
SO WHAT NUMBER DO YOU CALL THE POLICE ON?
999 should be used if an "immediate" response is required - where a crime is happening now or if anyone is in immediate danger.
Otherwise call:
- Your local safer neighbourhood team. Visit met.police.uk to find each ward's details.
- The new non-emergency police number live from October 6 across London: 0300 123 1212
- Bromley police on 01689 891212.
11:06am Monday 6th October 2008
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CommentPosted by: sean, Greenwich on 1:56pm Mon 6 Oct 08
Someone should call the police about these false calls
Someone should call the police about these false calls
Posted by: Cup Cake, Chislehurst on 2:40pm Mon 6 Oct 08
As most calls can be traced, these people should get fined for wasting police time.
As most calls can be traced, these people should get fined for wasting police time.
Posted by: me, here on 3:44pm Mon 6 Oct 08
Chipperfield Road is actually in St Pauls Cray [bold]NOT[/bold] St Marys Cray.
Chipperfield Road is actually in St Pauls Cray
NOT St Marys Cray.
Posted by: Demi, Eltham on 5:15pm Mon 6 Oct 08
[quote][bold]sean[/bold] wrote:
Someone should call the police about these false calls[/quote] PMSL Funny
sean wrote:
Someone should call the police about these false calls
PMSL Funny
Posted by: Mr T, West St Paul's Cray on 5:27pm Mon 6 Oct 08
Me,
I think that is what they mean by a Sinister phone call.....trying to confuse them with the wrong place ;-)
Me,
I think that is what they mean by a Sinister phone call.....trying to confuse them with the wrong place ;-)
Posted by: Tamara Galloway, Green St Green on 12:37am Tue 7 Oct 08
The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing.
If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails.
Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.
The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing.
If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails.
Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.
Posted by: Martin, Chatham on 3:14am Tue 7 Oct 08
[quote][bold]Tamara Galloway[/bold] wrote:
The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing. If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails. Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.[/quote] Silly cow.
Tamara Galloway wrote:
The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing. If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails. Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.
Silly cow.
Posted by: Diane, West Wickham on 7:24am Tue 7 Oct 08
I agree, Martin. She's obviously one of those callers from the nuthouse!
I agree, Martin. She's obviously one of those callers from the nuthouse!
Posted by: Mark( the first), Dartford on 8:20am Tue 7 Oct 08
I wonder how one of these morons would feel, if they were trapped in a house fire, only to be told, all emergency services were out 'checking' train noise.
What is this country coming to?
I wonder how one of these morons would feel, if they were trapped in a house fire, only to be told, all emergency services were out 'checking' train noise.
What is this country coming to?
Posted by: me again on 9:59am Tue 7 Oct 08
[quote][bold]Martin[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Tamara Galloway[/bold] wrote: The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing. If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails. Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.[/quote] Silly cow.[/quote] pmsl martin, tell it how you feel.
why are 999 calls not screened ? it would take but 5 seconds to ask, hello emergency services whats the nature of your emergency, then if they say i need a fire engine my house is on fire you patch the call through, if they say my husband is having a heart attack, you patch the call through, if some muppet says im stuck can you call me a cab, you take their details and send a patrol car along to nick her for wasting police time. a night in the cells will soon make them think twice before calling the cops for nothing.
Martin wrote:
Tamara Galloway wrote: The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing. If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails. Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.
Silly cow.
pmsl martin, tell it how you feel.
why are 999 calls not screened ? it would take but 5 seconds to ask, hello emergency services whats the nature of your emergency, then if they say i need a fire engine my house is on fire you patch the call through, if they say my husband is having a heart attack, you patch the call through, if some muppet says im stuck can you call me a cab, you take their details and send a patrol car along to nick her for wasting police time. a night in the cells will soon make them think twice before calling the cops for nothing.
Posted by: Dazman, SE20 8TT on 10:28am Tue 7 Oct 08
[quote][bold]me again[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Martin[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]Tamara Galloway[/bold] wrote: The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing. If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails. Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.[/quote] Silly cow.[/quote] pmsl martin, tell it how you feel. why are 999 calls not screened ? it would take but 5 seconds to ask, hello emergency services whats the nature of your emergency, then if they say i need a fire engine my house is on fire you patch the call through, if they say my husband is having a heart attack, you patch the call through, if some muppet says im stuck can you call me a cab, you take their details and send a patrol car along to nick her for wasting police time. a night in the cells will soon make them think twice before calling the cops for nothing.[/quote] Because time is precious in a 999 call, as they always try to emphasise. God forbid but if you're ever in genuine need of the emergency services, but they get there 5 seconds too late to save a life, would u then be saying the same thing about screening a call???
me again wrote:
Martin wrote: Tamara Galloway wrote: The man who called to say that the trains on the line behind his house were making a 'click clunk click clunk' noise instead of the usual 'click click click click' noise did the right thing. If a train starts to make a different noise it could mean it's about to crash, for example it may have come off the rails. Such a train crash could kill many people. So he was absolutely right to call 999.
Silly cow.
pmsl martin, tell it how you feel. why are 999 calls not screened ? it would take but 5 seconds to ask, hello emergency services whats the nature of your emergency, then if they say i need a fire engine my house is on fire you patch the call through, if they say my husband is having a heart attack, you patch the call through, if some muppet says im stuck can you call me a cab, you take their details and send a patrol car along to nick her for wasting police time. a night in the cells will soon make them think twice before calling the cops for nothing.
Because time is precious in a 999 call, as they always try to emphasise. God forbid but if you're ever in genuine need of the emergency services, but they get there 5 seconds too late to save a life, would u then be saying the same thing about screening a call???
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