Non-urgent police queries can now be submitted online 24 hours a day thanks to the expansion of Durham Constabulary’s 101 Live Chat facility.
From today, the force’s 101 Live Chat will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; previously the service was only available daily from 9am to 6pm.
The function allows members of the public to make general enquiries and ask for advice with a police call handler.
It is hoped the expansion will reduce the number of non-urgent calls being made to the 999 and 101 numbers, allowing for urgent calls for help to be answered faster and help arranged quicker for those who need it.
Durham Constabulary Control Room Manager Mel Davidson said: “Our call handlers provide a vital service to the people of County Durham and Darlington. On average we receive more than 1,000 calls every day, and that demand is increasing every year.
“To ensure that they can continue to answer emergency calls as quickly as possible and get help to people who need it the most, we need to provide people with alternative ways of contacting us when it’s not an emergency.
“The expansion of our 101 Live Chat function will do just this – giving people an easier and more efficient way of contacting us, whether they are at home, or on the move browsing on their phones.”
Durham Police and Crime Commissioner, Joy Allen, said: “It is vital that the systems we put in place for reporting crime are flexible and easy to access in the way people want and have asked for.
“I am determined to ensure we meet the expectations of residents from the outset and this means providing an efficient and timely response from the first point of contact.
“The extension of this valuable service allows us to release pressure on our phone lines and reduce waiting times for these services while also ensuring we can respond to emergencies as quickly as possible.”
When to use 101 Live Chat:
• General advice and enquiries
• Updates on incidents already reported
When to call 101:
• To report non-urgent incidents
• When a crime is not happening now
When to call 999:
• Someone’s life is at immediate risk
• A crime is happening now
• Serious risk to the public
If you are in danger and can’t speak dial 999 and press 5 5 – this is the silent solution, and 999 calls will be passed to police in order to try and establish your location.
To use 101 Live Chat, visit www.durham.police.uk/Report-It/101-Live-Chat/101-Live-Chat.aspx