A broken TV and a woman asking for a taxi! – North Wales Police reveals time-wasting 999 calls.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]North Wales Police has revealed some of the time wasting 999 calls it has received this year.

They include an emergency call about broken television and a 999 call from one person who wanted a taxi.

With North Wales Police heading into one of their busiest times of year they have released audio from timewasting calls in an effort to highlight the ongoing #ReduceDemand campaign.

The campaign is aimed at reducing the amount of unnecessary and inappropriate calls made to the Joint Communications Centre in St Asaph.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1482326108953{margin-top: -8px !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4oVfcSYKEY”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIveaHP1lYU”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Along with time wasting calls police have also said they have been plagued by a north Wales hoax caller who has dialled up the 999 number 75 times.

NWP control room has received 75 calls from a North Wales hoax caller!! They are contacting Ambulance and Fire also. #PUTTINGLIVESATRISK pic.twitter.com/OOl3c3xp8H

— Ch Insp Nick Evans (@NWPNickEvans) December 21, 2016

Over the festive period between December 18th 2015 and 2nd of January 2016, North Wales Police received 3,714 ‘999’ calls and 12,315 ‘101’ calls.

Year to date figures (1st January – 19th December) show that North Wales Police has received almost half a million calls including emergency and non-emergency calls.

Chief Inspector Martin Best from the Force Control Room is urging people to make sure that they use the 999-line appropriately, and only contact the non-emergency line if it is a police matter.[/vc_column_text][vc_message message_box_style=”solid-icon” style=”square” message_box_color=”alert-info” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-phone”]So far this year North Wales Police have received

• 77,310 emergency calls

• 332,352 non-emergency calls

• 16,836 requests for calls in the Welsh language

• 197,224 incidents were recorded

[/vc_message][vc_column_text]Chief Inspector Martin Best said:

“Each unnecessary call to us reduces time available for calls which are for genuine policing matters. It is also a waste of operators’ time and clogs up the pressured 999 system.

“Traditionally Christmas and New Year are among the busiest times of year for the Force and we are simply asking people to use the 999 system wisely to help ensure a legitimate emergency is not missed over the festive period.

[miptheme_quote author=”” style=”boxquote text-center”]On Friday, December 23rd, officers and staff who use social media will be tweeting using the hashtag #NWP2day – to give a flavour of a ‘day in the life of North Wales Police with a hint of Christmas spirit.’[/miptheme_quote]

“Phoning 999 – which is an emergency line, for trivial matters such as to report a broken television is a complete waste of resources, and could possibly prevent a genuine life or death emergency call being put through.” Chief Inspector Martin Best added.

Other previous examples of inappropriate calls made to control room include someone being unable to move a couch and a complaint about a cold take away meal.

North Wales Police have a 101 non-emergency line as well as a new live webchat service for people to contact them online for non-urgent calls and are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Police say they do have powers to prosecute people for misusing the 999 system and if people are found to consistently making hoax calls they could face prosecution.

When should you call  999:

A life is in danger or someone is being physically threatened, or if you are witnessing a crime happening at the time, or think the offenders are still nearby

You witness or are involved in a serious road traffic collision where someone is badly injured, or other vehicles are causing an obstruction or a danger to other road users

Otherwise calls should be made to the non-emergency line, 101.

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