Centralised Police Force?

Less · 31-01-2006, 05:28

There has been some talk in the news lately about having combined police forces so that major crimes can be handled without the resources becoming too strained.

Is this just the tip of the ice-berg? How long will it be before all 999 calls are outsourced to call centres in Bombay for example?

Ring, ring, ring, ring....."Welcome to to the country-wide Police
emergency call line, if this is an emergency press one or say One then
press the hash key".

1#

"Thank-you, if this is a life threatening emergency press 1.
If it is to report on ongoing crime press 2.
If you have just arrived home to find all your goods and chattels have been removed press 3.
If it is a domestic disturbance press 4.
If you would like to buy tickets to the policemans ball press 5.
For any other type of incident or to complain about your superb country-wide police force please put it in writing and
send to your local centralised, country wide police force representative the address is in your phone book.

If you would like to speak to a real live police-man press 6,
but don't get your hopes up, he has probably thrown another 'sicky' because of the stress of centralisation!"

entwisi · 31-01-2006, 08:06

999 calls are already centralised, MIL rang on Saturday night and was routed to Glasgow.

Less · 31-01-2006, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

999 calls are already centralised, MIL rang on Saturday night and was routed to Glasgow.

Yes, I know but Glasgow isn't as exciting as Bombay!

Basher · 31-01-2006, 08:56

There's lots of opposition to it from within the forces but I'm sure something will be pushed through in order to cost cut and save finance from the government coffers. It would appear from preliminary talks that already disadvantaged areas, in terms of policing, will be further disadvantaged. Large geographical areas will, in effect, have lower policing resources as often crime rates are lower whereas inner city and urban areas will benefit although benefit is used very loosely.

WillowTheWhisp · 31-01-2006, 09:00

How long before criminals suss out where the lower police cover is and those areas end up with higher crime rates?

shillelagh · 03-02-2006, 02:51

Its not just the police that are possibly going to be centralised the fire service and ambulance services could also be centralised as well. Could you imagine you having a fire at your house and ringing 999 and being diverted to Glasgow or elsewhere. Or if you have fallen down the stairs at home and ringing 999!

Neil · 03-02-2006, 16:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

999 calls are already centralised, MIL rang on Saturday night and was routed to Glasgow.

I hope you havn't been poisoning her coffee again.

It is already happening. Many police stations are no longer manned 24/7 and when you ring Accrington you now get Blackburn (Whitebirk) or Preston.

Madhatter · 03-02-2006, 16:28

post withdrawn

West Ender · 03-02-2006, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

How long before criminals suss out where the lower police cover is and those areas end up with higher crime rates?

It has already happened here. We used to have a police station and 3 police houses in our village. At least 2 policemen used to patrol "on the beat", day and night. They have all gone although the village population has doubled in the last 20 years.

We now have a "youth" problem. I don't mean noisy local kids, this is gangs coming in from a nearby town in Trafford, armed with knives and knuckle-dusters. They fight with the local "rough" element, smash shop windows, cause trouble in pubs, set fire to cars, slash tyres - and, yes, this is rural Cheshire. They know that a call to the police goes to a call centre in Winsford, 30 miles away. They can have a ball before the police arrive.

Basher · 13-02-2006, 09:16

Reported in the L.E.T. on Friday that home secretary Clarke has told Lancashire and Cumbria that they are to merge

andrewb · 13-02-2006, 09:31

I don't believe in centralisation.. it's just well, silly. I think they'd find if they cut down on the bureaucracy they'd have a lot more police free to, well, police. I think I read somewhere that if a police officer arrests someone they have to spend a further few hours doing paperwork, keeping them off the street.

For hospitals it's bad because for example, the Blackburn/Burnley merger, what about all those people that had burnley as their nearest hospital? They'll have to travel much further to go to blackburn, and now blackburns been burdened with several million pounds worth of debt because of the merger so cost cuting..

SPUGGIE J · 13-02-2006, 09:45

Wouldnt work. Its a cost cutting measure in my eyes and will mean few bobs on the beat. How can something that is spread over what is to certain extent very rural work to the expectations of the public. Phone 999 from Accy get Carlise to be told it will be at least 1 .5 hours to respond.