PCC works the late shift!

This month, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Donna Jones, dedicated a Friday evening to experience the roles of call handlers who are on the front-line of the police’s response.

PCC Donna Jones met with the control room centre supervisors, specialist officers who are trained to authorise firearm deployments, as well as dispatchers on the motorway desk who are responsible for handling incidents on Hampshire’s major road networks.

In addition, she listened into a number of calls from people asking for help. From domestic abuse emergencies to questions about non-police business like the hosepipe ban, she witnessed a variety of calls coming in on 999 and 101 on a typical Friday night.

Commissioner Jones said: “Hampshire Constabulary is currently advertising vacancies for call handlers and controllers and I wanted to meet the people who are responsible for first contact with the public to get an insight into their challenging and rewarding role.”

“Policing is a career like no other. It certainly has its challenges, but I saw courage, resilience, teamwork and compassion on my visit and I know those who work in the control room and contact centre taking calls and deploying officers make a real difference to the communities they serve.

“Part of my police and crime plan outlines my commitment to improving the 101 service. I know that police are under pressure to answer calls from the public and I know that call waiting times and limited feedback to crime reports are a real issue for people.

“As Commissioner, I am doing everything I can to work with senior officers to improve the service. Part of that is ensuring the teams are fully staffed to deal with the demand, that’s both calls and online reports. The Constabulary is currently recruiting controllers and contact management centre officers.

“No two days are the same, it’s a tough but rewarding job and an important frontline role that we need to get right in order to deliver the best service to the public.”

Councillor Matt Renyard, Cabinet Member for a Safer City at Southampton City Council said:

“999 and 101 is often the first point of call for members of the public to report a crime. Call handlers provide vital assistance and reassurance to people in their time of need, including members of public who may feel scared or vulnerable as well as in emergency situations.

“We strive for Southampton to be a place of safety and sanctuary for those that live, work and visit our great city and welcome this recruitment drive to help ensure the level of service that the public expects. The Council works closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner as well as Hampshire Constabulary through the Safe City Partnership, and I encourage anyone who thinks they might have what it takes to apply for one of these roles.”

• Police controllers are responsible for managing incidents within the police control room.
• Contact Management Centre Officers are responsible for receiving emergency and non-emergency calls from members of the public.

If you are interested in applying for a role, just visit Contact handlers | Hampshire Constabulary