Rolling out the Police Single Non-Emergency Number

Research Report 66 Key implications Rolling out the police single non-emergency number (101): research into the public’s and practitioners’ views Katharine McKenna, Nicola Smith, Jenny Williams, Rachel Gardner (Ecorys) In 2010, the Government set out its commitment to On balance the evidence from this early research establish a national non-emergency police number suggests the 101 service was operating as intended in for England and Wales which would provide a single, the first forces to implement it and that users were memorable non-emergency number for contacting the largely satisfied. police (101). The main recommendations from the research are to This study reviewed the extent to which the 101 service address misapprehensions amongst the public over use of was operating as intended in some of the first forces to 101. These misapprehensions discourage some members implement 101. The study also examined call handling of of the public from reporting non-emergency incidents, non-emergency incidents more generally, including public or lead to inappropriate use of the 999 system. Future perceptions and expectations of how non-emergency awareness campaigns should: incidents should be dealt with. ●● emphasise that non-emergency call handling is done Interviews with Home Office and Association of Chief to the same level of professionalism as 999 and Police Officers staff responsible for managing the roll out accurate records are made for all relevant calls made of 101 and members of staff in each police force as well to the police; as members of the public who had used the 101 service ●● clarify and give examples to the public about the were undertaken. These were supplemented by focus circumstances where non-emergency contact with groups with the public to understand wider attitudes to the police would be encouraged; and contacting the police. ●● emphasise that calling 101 will put you through to your local force. Contents Key implications i Summary ii 1. Introduction 1 2. Methodology 4 3. Implementation of 101 5 Keywords 4. Public experiences of contacting the police and Police using 101 9 Non emergency numbers 5. Future operation of 101 15 101/999 6. Conclusions and recommendations 17 Reporting incidents Appendix 1: Methodology 20 Call handling Appendix 2: References 24 Public attitudes The views expressed in this report are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the Home Office (nor do they reflect Government policy). You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or e-mail: [email protected] © Crown copyright 2012 ISSN 1756-3666 ISBN 978-1-78246-000-8 October 2012 Research Report 66 Summary Rolling out the police single non-emergency number (101): research into the public’s and practitioners’ views Katharine McKenna, Nicola Smith, Jenny Williams, Rachel Gardner (Ecorys) All police forces have non-emergency police numbers contract and in the late delivery of a communications which are intended to divert non-emergency calls or toolkit prepared by the Home Office. routine enquiries from the emergency 999 number. However, many people are not aware of the existence Prior to the introduction of 101, police forces across of these numbers. In 2010, the Government set out its England and Wales had used different numbers to connect commitment to establish a national non-emergency police members of the public to their non-emergency services. number for England and Wales which would provide a The introduction of 101 did not impose a uniform single, memorable non-emergency number for contacting definition of what constitutes a non-emergency call. 101 the police (101). simply replaced these diverse non-emergency numbers used previously with a single easy-to-remember number. This study reviewed the extent to which the 101 service was operating as intended in three of the first Call volumes to 101 increased rapidly as the service forces to implement 101. The study also examined call was rolled out across more forces between handling of non-emergency incidents more generally, September and December 2011. This rise appears including public perceptions and expectations of how to have diverted calls from other non-emergency non-emergency incidents should be dealt with. Interviews numbers, without substantially affecting overall levels with Home Office and Association of Chief Police of (999 or non-emergency) calls to the police. Officers (ACPO) staff responsible for managing the roll out of 101 and members of staff in each police force, Most members of the public had clear ideas about as well as members of the public who had used the 101 what constituted a non-emergency situation and the service were undertaken. These were supplemented appropriate circumstances in which to use 101. However, by focus groups with the public to understand wider the focus groups highlighted the existence of some attitudes to contacting the police. strongly held negative views about how the police deal with non-emergency calls. These views were partly based Overall, implementation of the 101 service across the on prior experience of non-emergency phone contact three police forces who had adopted it was perceived with the police, but were more often simply myths on to have been achieved successfully. Factors which were the way non-emergency calls were handled (compared perceived to have contributed to a successful roll-out with 999 calls). Some participants believed incorrectly included: strong national and local project management; that non-emergency calls were not logged, the national close internal and external partnership working between non-emergency number delivered a less localised service police forces, the ACPO and the Home Office; the to the public than local non-emergency numbers and that ability to integrate the 101 telephony into existing non-emergency call handlers were less fully trained than local call-handling infrastructure; and a comprehensive their emergency counterparts. communications campaign targeting police officers and staff. For some, their views simply made them disinclined to contact the police over non-emergency issues; for others, Roll-out was felt to have been hindered by forces being their expectations led them to state they would use 999 unable to accurately predict demand for the 101 service regardless of what they needed to speak to the police and delays in confirming the supplier of the telephony about, as they believed it would simply generate a quicker The views expressed in this report are those of the authors, not necessarily those of the Home Office (nor do they reflect Government policy). You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or e-mail: [email protected] © Crown copyright 2012 ISSN 1756-3666 ISBN 978-1-78246-000-8 October 2012 Research Report 66 October 2012 and more active response from the police than a – clarify and give examples to the public about the non-emergency number. circumstances where non-emergency contact with the police would be encouraged; Participants with experience of 101 had generally positive – emphasise that calling 101 will put you through to views about the service. Members of the public reported your local force; and that the number was extremely easy to remember and – reinforce the low cost of 101, highlighting that use. The majority of users stated that they got through although a cost is involved, it is likely to be to a 101 call handler quickly and on their first attempt. cheaper than the cost of calling some of the Call handlers were viewed as taking calls seriously and previous non-emergency numbers. treating callers with courtesy and professionalism. Only a small number of participants reported being dissatisfied with the service; typically this was the result of delays in speaking to a handler or calls failing to be returned. Most members of the public appeared to be unaware that there was a small charge to use the 101 service. However, when informed of the cost, users generally felt it was reasonable. Home Office and Police representatives reported that a number of improvements and developments were already planned for the immediate months following the completed roll-out. These focussed on raising public awareness, monitoring demand and improving the customer experience. In the longer term, some expressed an interest in extending 101 to be a partnership number, covering more services than just the police. Not all of those interviewed were supportive of this idea with some concerned about potential confusion and knock-on effects on service quality. The current system for 101 was launched as an exclusively telephony-based system. On the whole, there was a strong preference expressed by the public to maintain telephone contact due to the immediate and personalised acknowledgement and support that can be accessed through human contact. There was some enthusiasm for alternative mechanisms, such as email, internet or text message (SMS), but certain groups such as older people did not favour email or SMS due to accessibility

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