Police hail 'phenomenal' 999 call handling record

Emergency call handlers say they "love helping" those in need as they celebrate topping police performance tables.

Sussex Police has topped league tables for 999 call response times for the past four months, answering 98% of calls within 10 seconds with an average pick-up time of four seconds in November.

Force bosses have hailed the record as a "phenomenal achievement" and said it showed a "passion and desire to do the right thing".

Joe Walker, a contact and control officer with Sussex Police, said: "You have to deal with very hard jobs and very stressful situations, it's not the usual thing to deal with in most people's day-to-day work."

He added: "It's a great team and we are all really there for each other."

David Severn, another contact and control officer with the force, joined Sussex Police after working as a teaching assistant in a primary school.

He said: "I loved helping kids one-to-one and felt I could do more and help more people in the emergency services.

"If you are calling the police you are probably not having a good day, so I try to keep calm and keep the caller calm with me to try and get as much information as we can."

Sussex Police said new technology in its call handling operation had led to improvements in how emergency 999 and non-emergency 101 calls were routed in its control room.

The force was the best in the UK at answering calls within the 10 second target between August and November, according to national police league tables.

Sussex Police said it believed it was the first force to top the table for four months since call handling records began.

Surrey Police also ranked second in last month's table, answering 97.5% of calls within the 10-second target.

Kent Police answered 91.7% per cent of calls within 10 seconds in November.

Sussex Police Ch Supt Rachel Glenton said: "Behind every 999 call is someone that needs our help.

"We have a real passion and desire to do the right thing and get to people in their time of need."

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