Today's most viewed
| TOP STORIES |  | | | | | | FEATURES | | | | | | MAYOR NEWS | | | | BIZARRE LONDON | | | TRAVEL | | | | COMPETITIONS | | |
|
|
|
Call 999 - we're out of beer
Running out of beer, spiders in the living room and a dodgy mobile phone were among the almost 20,000 inappropriate calls made to Surrey Police's emergency 999.
Among the calls that could have endangered lives by tying up the emergency operators was one from a woman who wanted police to come round and turn her water supply back on, another from a couple arguing over who was the rightful owner of a DVD, a young boy who called 999 and then told operators it was "for a laugh", and a woman who asked police to help because her mobile phone was not working properly.
In the year to July, the Surrey Police contact centre received 179,342 emergency calls.
Superintendent Sue Lampard said the vast majority were genuine emergencies but about 11 per cent - more than 19,000 calls - did not require a police response and were an inappropriate use of the 999 system.
Complaints about noisy neighbours, lost dogs, and noise nuisance account for around 6,000 of the inappropriate 999 calls made in the past 12 months.
A further 13,696 were abandoned calls.
These were often from mobile phones whose owners have forgotten to lock the keypad and dialled 999 accidentally or from young children playing with a telephone.
Supt Lampard said an emergency call should be made when someone is in danger, a crime is in progress or if a serious crime such as rape or assault occasioning bodily harm has occurred.
"The 999 system is there for people who are in genuine emergency situations and need assistance," she said.
"By misusing it you are tying up emergency lines and preventing other people from getting through.
"Ultimately this could end up costing someone their life.
"We are asking the public to act responsibly and only call 999 for the right reasons."
Call 999 if you have a genuine emergency requiring the attendance of the police and 0845 125 2222 for all other policing matters.
2:02am Friday 24th August 2007
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Karl Chads, London, UK on 12:35pm Fri 24 Aug 07
Yeah, most of the calls mentioned are stupid and obviously not emergencies, but there is a debate as to what constitutes an emergency. Some people would call 999 if they had their car stolen, other people would report it at the police station.
Yeah, most of the calls mentioned are stupid and obviously not emergencies, but there is a debate as to what constitutes an emergency. Some people would call 999 if they had their car stolen, other people would report it at the police station.
Posted by: daniel mitchell, east london on 2:19pm Fri 24 Aug 07
i once rang 999 about a group of youths throwing stones at people jogging down the canal near where i live.
i was told to ring my local police station, the 999 operator was unable to give me the local police stations number.
when i did phone it the line was so busy i was left holding on for about 40 minutes by the time i spoke to someone the youths had left.
i once rang 999 about a group of youths throwing stones at people jogging down the canal near where i live.
i was told to ring my local police station, the 999 operator was unable to give me the local police stations number.
when i did phone it the line was so busy i was left holding on for about 40 minutes by the time i spoke to someone the youths had left.
Posted by: adam mace, basildon on 3:35pm Fri 24 Aug 07
but then when the police were called for a report of a 34 year old man who beat up sister and physically hit my 5 year old nephew they let him walk with a caution!!!whats this all about??and they wonder why there are so many child abuser's and pedo's running around the streets.
but then when the police were called for a report of a 34 year old man who beat up sister and physically hit my 5 year old nephew they let him walk with a caution!!!whats this all about??and they wonder why there are so many child abuser's and pedo's running around the streets.
Posted by: L D, Surrey on 4:39pm Sat 25 Aug 07
What does the last comment have to do with the 999 system being abused. And don't confuse Surrey police with met police. Anyone who rings 999 for a spider or beer is an idiot and wasting a operators time. The operators do a good job in a difficult and stressful enviroment. Don't knock it till you've done it is what i say.
What does the last comment have to do with the 999 system being abused. And don't confuse Surrey police with met police. Anyone who rings 999 for a spider or beer is an idiot and wasting a operators time. The operators do a good job in a difficult and stressful enviroment. Don't knock it till you've done it is what i say.
Posted by: bebo, surrey on 5:34pm Sat 25 Aug 07
i feel there is a bit of confusion on what is an emergancy. I.E is your neighbours loud music really going to put your life in danger? you have to ask yourself what will the officers gain by going out on an emergancy response - if the incident happened last night and offenders are no longer there? is it really police to come and collect you if you have no money to get home from the pub? and is it right to let your child tie up a 999 line many many times? is it possible to put the phone in a place that will be out of reach from children?
anyway what do i know - well only that if my life is ever in danger and i cannot get through to police because someone is mucking about i will more than a little miffed!!!
i feel there is a bit of confusion on what is an emergancy. I.E is your neighbours loud music really going to put your life in danger? you have to ask yourself what will the officers gain by going out on an emergancy response - if the incident happened last night and offenders are no longer there? is it really police to come and collect you if you have no money to get home from the pub? and is it right to let your child tie up a 999 line many many times? is it possible to put the phone in a place that will be out of reach from children?
anyway what do i know - well only that if my life is ever in danger and i cannot get through to police because someone is mucking about i will more than a little miffed!!!
Posted by: MARK on 2:02pm Sun 26 Aug 07
WHY NOT JUST RING 999 WHEN YOURE BORED AND LONELY, JUST TO CHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER AND WHAT A ROTTEN DAY YOU AD, THAT WAY THEYVE GOT LESS TIME TO HASSLE MOTORISTS, STOP AND SEARCH PEOPLE SIMPLY COS THEYRE BLACK AND OTHERWISE CAUSE UNECESSARY ANNOYANCE
WHY NOT JUST RING 999 WHEN YOURE BORED AND LONELY, JUST TO CHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER AND WHAT A ROTTEN DAY YOU AD, THAT WAY THEYVE GOT LESS TIME TO HASSLE MOTORISTS, STOP AND SEARCH PEOPLE SIMPLY COS THEYRE BLACK AND OTHERWISE CAUSE UNECESSARY ANNOYANCE
Posted by: THE OLD BILL on 2:09pm Sun 26 Aug 07
Or why not call us out, when youre out of ciggies ???? !!!!! so we can come round and give you a free fag. Then we can also take a 30 page statement, starting off with "I WAS PROCEEDING ALONG THE CORRIDOR AT THE APPROXIMATE HOUR OF 2.30 AM BLA BLA BLA, WHEN I SUBSEQUESNTLY WAS ASKED TO ATTEND AT , BLA BLA BLA, WITH A REQUEST TO PROVIDE A FREE FAG, BLA BLA BLA,
that we dont get to hassle motorists going about their business, people cos theyre black, etc, GOOD IDEA GO 4 IT
Or why not call us out, when youre out of ciggies ???? !!!!! so we can come round and give you a free fag. Then we can also take a 30 page statement, starting off with "I WAS PROCEEDING ALONG THE CORRIDOR AT THE APPROXIMATE HOUR OF 2.30 AM BLA BLA BLA, WHEN I SUBSEQUESNTLY WAS ASKED TO ATTEND AT , BLA BLA BLA, WITH A REQUEST TO PROVIDE A FREE FAG, BLA BLA BLA,
that we dont get to hassle motorists going about their business, people cos theyre black, etc, GOOD IDEA GO 4 IT
Posted by: British bulldog, Croydon on 6:26pm Sun 26 Aug 07
Why is the race card comes into it again
[quote]STOP AND SEARCH PEOPLE SIMPLY COS THEYRE BLACK AND OTHERWISE CAUSE UNECESSARY ANNOYANCE[/quote]
[quote]that we dont get to hassle motorists going about their business, people cos theyre black,[/quote]
If you aint guilty then you dont have any thing to worry about,Except best part of them are.
Why is the race card comes into it again
STOP AND SEARCH PEOPLE SIMPLY COS THEYRE BLACK AND OTHERWISE CAUSE UNECESSARY ANNOYANCE
that we dont get to hassle motorists going about their business, people cos theyre black,
If you aint guilty then you dont have any thing to worry about,Except best part of them are.
Posted by: bebo, surrey on 9:18pm Sun 26 Aug 07
in reply to mark - you shouldn't do this because you could find yourself arrested for wasting police time. Maybe good idea if you'd like ot spend a night in the cells. but not my idea of a good time i must say!
in reply to mark - you shouldn't do this because you could find yourself arrested for wasting police time. Maybe good idea if you'd like ot spend a night in the cells. but not my idea of a good time i must say!
Posted by: Emma, Melbourne on 7:14am Tue 28 Aug 07
There needs to be a fine in place and promoted in a hardcore way.
Anyone who is stupid enough to call for the reason of, beer, spiders, phone etc needs to be fined big time.
and parents who get caught out more than twice with children who do it also need to be fined.
There needs to be a fine in place and promoted in a hardcore way.
Anyone who is stupid enough to call for the reason of, beer, spiders, phone etc needs to be fined big time.
and parents who get caught out more than twice with children who do it also need to be fined.
Posted by: M on 10:43am Tue 28 Aug 07
[quote]A further 13,696 were abandoned calls.
These were often from mobile phones whose owners have forgotten to lock the keypad and dialled 999 accidentally[/quote] Quit blaiming Joe public for this blame the phone makers and operators as 999 and 112 are the only numbers mobiles can ring with locked keypads and as joe public always gets blamed phone companys dont do a thing about it
A further 13,696 were abandoned calls.
These were often from mobile phones whose owners have forgotten to lock the keypad and dialled 999 accidentally
Quit blaiming Joe public for this blame the phone makers and operators as 999 and 112 are the only numbers mobiles can ring with locked keypads and as joe public always gets blamed phone companys dont do a thing about it
Posted by: James Edwards, Oxford on 7:26pm Tue 28 Aug 07
I called 999 once when I saw my stolen bike (taken few days earlier) at the local supermarket. Offender was on location and in supermarket!! I advised I had just seen my stolen bike and the person was at supermarket. Operator did not regard as emergency call. Think this is just part of the dump of Britain now that unless someone is getting a knife through the heart it’s not an emergency call. I agree some calls listed are ridiculous clearly but in my call I had seen my stolen bike and I wanted the thief apprehended as a matter of urgency.
I called 999 once when I saw my stolen bike (taken few days earlier) at the local supermarket. Offender was on location and in supermarket!! I advised I had just seen my stolen bike and the person was at supermarket. Operator did not regard as emergency call. Think this is just part of the dump of Britain now that unless someone is getting a knife through the heart it’s not an emergency call. I agree some calls listed are ridiculous clearly but in my call I had seen my stolen bike and I wanted the thief apprehended as a matter of urgency.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
