DEVON and Cornwall Police have highlighted some of the inappropriate 999 calls they have received recently.

Complaints about the smell of the sea near a beach, ice that has been ‘stolen from a drink’, someone trapped in a jumpsuit, and a peacock in the road who looked “sad as he had lost his friends”, are only some examples of the calls handlers have received.

On an average day, call handlers deal with 859 emergencies and 1,195 non-emergency calls. These numbers rise significantly at certain times of year – especially during the summer months when millions of visitors arrive to holiday in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Call handlers are put under significant stress trying to answer calls in a timely manner, to find solutions to callers’ issues and to ensure the right response when people need it most.

Pressure on emergency services is not helped by a significant number of accidental or inappropriate calls, which tie-up staff and prevents them dealing with real emergencies.

Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Nikki Leaper said: “The force understands that some calls are made accidentally and the quickest way for us to deal with them is for the caller to stay on the line so we can confirm that they don't need any help.

“If it happens to you please don’t hang up – stay on the line and explain what’s happened. We will understand.”

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson added: “Every call made to 999 is investigated, even when someone hangs up. Calling by accident is not the only reason people hang up. Someone might be scared, unable to talk – or even forced to put the phone down, so we have to investigate to find out what has happened. It can take up to 20 minutes to confirm all is ok each time a call is terminated.”

ACC Leaper continued: “Staying on the line means we can make sure you are ok in a fraction of the time, freeing up our staff to answer more calls and help more people.”

The force is equally concerned with the number of calls received that should really be directed to other agencies. This month, Devon and Cornwall Police have launched a campaign aimed at informing people who they should call in a variety of scenarios.

“We know there are lots of things that people need help to get sorted out – everything from swarms of bees, fly tipping, noisy neighbours and lost dogs to untaxed or abandoned vehicle. All those things are really annoying and you might need support to get them sorted out, but when you do, who are you going to call – the police isn’t always the best or the correct place to start,” said ACC Leaper.

Police have issued a guide as to where some issues should be reported:

  • Abandoned cars and antisocial parking are dealt with by the local council.
  • Untaxed cars should be reported to the DVLA.
  • Lost or found dogs should be reported to the dog warden.
  • Noisy neighbours should be reported to the local council environmental health team.
  • Minor traffic collisions don’t need reporting to the police provided you have exchanged details with the other party.