Police force faces huge increase in number of calls

A YORKSHIRE police force is receiving the highest number of monthly calls that it has seen in more than a decade.

The number of calls to North Yorkshire Police’s force control room, based at Fulford Road in York, has reached its highest level in 11 years. The levels have hit a new high during the past two months, according to Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Mrs Mulligan said: “[ The force control room] have made progress around recruitment. I think they are now pretty much up to a full complement, apart from six which is really good news. However, call volumes in the past two months have been the highest for 11 years – so really significant volumes coming into the control room.”

She added: “We have seen some progress and the trajectory is good and the people are in. So I hope to see that improve further – it’s still not where we would want it to be but it is improving, largely because we’ve got people coming into post.

“They’ve also changed the way they do the training, meaning that people can train on the job now so they are more available.”

She said “a lot of work” was going in to improving staffing levels.

Thomas Thorp, from the commissioner’s office, added: “There will be continuous recruitment to maintain numbers and improve performance.”

In August, the police, fire and crime panel heard that staffing levels at the force control room had been hit by the need for some employees to self- isolate. It also heard a back- up facility in Harrogate had been prepared to help maintain social distancing.

Call numbers increased as coronavirus restrictions began to be eased and extra staff were brought in to help.