Police response times..................

[ELVIS68]

Where I work there is a police station less than half a mile away yet every time they`ve been called when we`ve had our depot broken into they take nearly an hour to turn up.

This has happened four times in the last 2 months, they say that they have to come from a main police station 15 miles away because the police staiton up the road is only manned during office hours!

Surely the thieves have sussed this out and know they have a head start on them?

[ummmm]

Of course the thieves know.

[northernmonkey]

Well, I know that officers do still use these type of stations at weekends, nights as somewhere for them to use as a station for breaks, using computers ect and to remain in the area rather than travel 15 miles & take an hour to turn up to an incident ie your depot.
But 999 call which takes 1 hour before officers arrive is unacceptable & 4 times in 2 months is very either unlucky or your being targerted.
1st time, ok 2nd, concerning, 3rd. has no improvements to secure the depot been made???? 4th, something which needs comparing with other 3 and seeing what is similar/the same, and sorting out !!

But someone from the depot like a manager, needs to make complaint about the response time and have the issue brought to the attention of the relevant person who will do something about it.

Out of interest, what police force is this

[ELVIS68]

http://www.hertsdirec...y/polistathert/879834

[ayabrea38]

The only time I have had a response in under an hour to a 999 call was when I told them that firearms might be involved.Apart from that the police station,that is about 1/4 mile away is too stretched and locality means nothing.

[ummmm]

I love my town. On the few occasions I've phoned the police they have turned up in minutes...

[Eve]

Sounds like a good chat with your local community support officer might be in order about the problems if that might help.

I have to say that the police response time when I've called them round here has been very good though only called them up here when I was living across in Salford.

Once when kids congregated outside and were throwing stuff at our windows and smashing them, police came in an hour or so. I think they were also instrumental in getting the park gates outside secured better to stop them all congregating there so much.

Once when an outdoor party came under seige from some local kids (as in coming onto property and throwing bottles and smashing stuff) and we had a police van turn up incredibly quickly...with guns!?!?!? We had to call them again later and they rang later on to apologise for not having been able to attend due to another incident and saying they would send a community support officer round to make sure all was ok!

Also when some nutter was trying to get into my flat in the middle of the night when I was in alone they got to me in about 10 minutes.

I guess it makes a difference as so many police stations so close and police out on patrol round the city, am feeling very lucky for that though maybe not for living in such a crime ridden area, one street I lived on was even on Crimewatch, they did a reconstruction and everything after a nasty stabbing incident. We had a mobile police station and police around 24/7 for over a week.

The close I live in now has had some very nasty incidents recently and the police have been very good organising meetings for residents and going door to door and putting things in place to increase security.

Hopefully if your local force are given a kick in the right direction there may be a lot more they can do than is currently being done?

[northernmonkey]

More along the lines of an Inspector for anything to be actually looked into and the best course(s) of action to be taken, where as p.c.s.o's isn't really suitable and able to act accordingly in the above circumstances. One reason for this, is that P.C.S.O's are quite simply for dealing with non-emergency incidents and anti social behaviour within the community, but an Inspector would be aware of this themselfs - Brought to the attention of relevant Sergant ect and also if requested looked into the reasons for delays into turning up nearly 60 mins prior to getting 999 call

[ELVIS68]

Thing what p!sses me off is when I`m on my way home at 1am there are always 3 or 4 police cars parked up in the BP garage 1 mile away which is 24hrs for fuel only but they are in there drinking coffee!

[northernmonkey]

Often in early hours, I see 2/3 cars parked up and all having a chat, nice to know what taxpayers money, is used for the effective police service!

[ELVIS68]

Same when we are in London, we go to the bagel shop in Brick Lane and it is swarming with police, all sitting there in their cars having a bagel and a chat like there is fook all to do

[northernmonkey]

A break, yes thats no probs
Wasting time chatting and not doing patrols ect - no excuse? And its not now and then its constantly

[redcrx]

when our factory alarms went off, my dad would call 999 straight away and then head to the factory. He never once found the police there when he got there, most times he would call the police and say the intruders had gone and not to bother coming out.

can you ask them to check on the property on their rounds each night? or get an alarm that calls the police (red care i think it is)

[R1Geezer]

Next time tell them you've just caught the burglars and caved their heads in with a cricket bat. They'll be there in 10 seconds flat.

[joko]

i suppose it depends on what you report...a breakin that happened the night before is not an emergency and not really a 999 matter... that is for when immediate urgent assistance is needed...maybe they think you should call the office...

[dizmouk2009]

R1Geezer that happened once with a farmer....

Farmer rings up the police and says that someone is trespassing, the police say they will be an hour. The farmer rings back 5 minutes later and says "Don't rush, I've shot him", within 4 minutes they had the police helicopter, 4 police cars and SWAT on the way.

[divaprincess09]

Sounds like they didn't grade it of any importance. If you did dial 999 they definately wouldn't have seen this as being urgent (unless you seen/heard someone on the premises) even a grade 1 call has a response time of under 10 minutes, thats for the most serious of emergencys. It does sound stupid that a local station should only be opne 'office hours' but from the force's point of view they get to cut down staff by closing the station and edploying them elsewhere.

May I suggest if you keep getting broken into that you look into a means of extra security? Hope this helps...