Police response times revealed

A NEW dashboard will put residents in pole position on police response times.

Greater Manchester Police is believed to be the first force in the country to show how swiftly they answer and respond to calls.

Based on a car dashboard format, the facility is now available on their website — www.gmp.police.uk — showing up-do-date 999 and non-emergency call handling stats and the percentage responded to by officers within target times.

Police chiefs believe the internet innovation will help improve public confidence and reassurance.

The new page, called “how do we respond to your calls?”, shows daily updated response times for 999 and non-emergency calls and the percentage of abandoned calls.

It also features graphics showing the percentage of emergency and priority incidents in which police arrived at the scene within their target time.

The response times are also broken down into each of GMP’s 12 divisions so residents can see at-a-glance how their local officers are responding.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “This is about showing people who need our assistance that we want to deliver an excellent service in the way we answer their calls and the way in which our officers respond to them. It is important that the people we serve can see how we are actually doing in delivering that promise.”

GMP’s head of call handling, Supt Karan Lee, said: “We deal with more than four million calls a year, either via the 999 emergency number of the 872 5050 non-emergency number.

“This new dashboard is designed to be open, accountable and to demonstrate our commitment to delivering an excellent service to the people of Greater Manchester in the way we answer and respond to their calls for assistance.”

Residents are advised only to call 999 in an emergency — when there is a threat to life, property or a crime in progress — and call 0161-872 5050 to report a crime or a non-emergency or their Neighbourhood Policing Team with concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.