Eighty per cent of calls are responded to within 15 minutes

Funds from the Sussex Police Authority have paid for the 24-hour police bureau, to be staffed by 74 people.

Investment in the crime, recording and investigation bureau, known as Crib, has included the recruitment of 20 emergency call takers.

"The public are getting a response more like the one they expect," Assistant Chief Constable Geoff Williams said.

'More web use'

"Despite receiving more emergency calls - many because of the huge increase in mobile phone use - we are getting better all the time at answering people who urgently need our help," he said.

"The last year has seen our entire call-handling performance come on in leaps and bounds.

"We are arriving at 80% of incidents that need an immediate response within our target times."

Statistics released by the force on Tuesday said that more than 92% of 999 calls to Sussex Police were being answered within 10 seconds.

And 80% of calls were responded to in 15 minutes.

The force also found the public had made more use of the Sussex Police website.