North Yorkshire Police receive the highest number of daily 999 calls in 20 years

North Yorkshire Police received the highest number of daily 999 calls ever recorded in the previous 20 years during an exceptionally busy July.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The police said there were 470 emergency calls on Saturday, July 24, the first weekend after most coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased.

Police received 40,788 calls during July with the number of calls made on most days during the month as high as a typical New Year's Eve.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A total of 46 per cent of 999 calls were answered within 10 seconds, 25 per cent were answered within 30 seconds, and 28 per cent went above this time.

Police received a total of 40,788 calls during July.Police received a total of 40,788 calls during July.
Police received a total of 40,788 calls during July.

North Yorkshire Police aim to answer 90 per cent of 999 calls within 10 seconds but are not currently reaching that target.

It is now taking the police an average of 33 seconds to answer a 999 call and an average of seven minutes and 15 seconds to answer 101 calls.

Emergency funding was granted on Tuesday, July 27 by North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott for extra staff to answer calls.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Allott said: "For me it’s a crucial issue, we want to get this right."

Police said they have received numerous time-wasting calls including one person who asked officers to put their dustbins out whilst on holiday, and another told police that "The Godfather" is buried in Rome.

Police estimate that a quarter of all 999 calls in North Yorkshire during July should have been a 101 call - or not a policing matter at all.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "We know our phone lines can sometimes be busy but please remember that 999 should only be called in a genuine emergency when you need immediate assistance, not simply because you cannot get through on non-emergency numbers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"If you misuse the service, you risk those in genuine need of urgent help waiting longer to get through.

"The demands and pressures on policing across the country are now back to pre-Covid levels and with the warm weather that is only likely to increase,

"Anyone with a genuine need for emergency assistance, where life or property is in immediate danger should always call 999."