RESIDENTS of Pembrokeshire are being given guidance on how to ‘make the right call’ when contacting the police.

Dyfed-Powys Police has launched its Make the Right Call campaign, to make it easier for members of the public to know when and how to contact the police, and who to contact when reporting matters that are not for police, such as stray dogs, fly-tipping and parking problems.

The campaign also aims to make sure all members of the public are aware of the 101 non-emergency number and how to use it correctly.

To help people decide if they need to call 101 or another organisation, such as the council or Natural Resources Wales, a new Contact Us has been added to the Dyfed-Powys Police website. It holds icons which once clicked on give information on who best to contact about that issue, as well as contact numbers, online reporting forms and links to partner websites or information pages.

It’s hoped the move will not only improve the service people receive when they call 101 but also ease the pressure on the Force Communication Centre, where all emergency and non-emergency calls are taken. A team of call handlers working twenty-four-seven receives over 1,000 calls a day. Around a third of all calls are not actually for police to deal with.

Chief Inspector Nicky Carter, Force Communication Centre Manager, said: “While we encourage the reporting of crime and anti-social behaviour in order to help us keep our communities safe, we frequently receive a high number of calls that are simply not a police matter.

“Make the Right Call is about encouraging people to stop and think about where best to report their non-emergency issues to before calling 101 and also making sure that the people who really need our help know how and when to contact us via 101.”

THE OFFICIAL POLICE ADVICE

To make the right call consider the following:

We are here 24/7: if you don’t need urgent assistance or have a general enquiry dial 101, but in an emergency always dial 999. You can also report non-emergency incidents by emailing [email protected] or via the online reporting form on our website (ADD LINK ONCE LIVE). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.

In an emergency – dial 999

The 999 number is a 24-hour service and should only be used in situations where there is:

Danger to life
Use, or immediate threat of use, of violence
A crime in progress
Serious injury to a person
An offender that has been disturbed at the scene
A need for immediate police attendance such as when a crime is about to be committed.
Non-emergencies – dial 101

The 101 number should be used to report a policing issue that is less than urgent and does not require an emergency response. For example, if:

Your property has been damaged
You suspect drug use or dealing in your neighbourhood
You wish to give police information about crime in your area
You wish to make a general enquiry.