Woman calls 999 to complain about cleaners in shocking waste of police time
11 June 2021, 18:41
Are you in danger? Police urge 999 callers to think before you dial
The Metropolitan Police have hit out after 60% of all calls made over a weekend were nuisance.
Campaigning against nuisance 999 calls, the Met released a shocking clip of a caller complaining about her cleaner not turning up.
Last weekend alone, over 11,000 nuisance calls were made to the Metropolitan Police Service’s Command and Control Room (MetCC), wasting both time and resources for the force.
Non-urgent calls that have taken place in 2021 include a man demanding help changing his phone network, a woman calling for a vet's number and another man reporting a missing facecloth.
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Chief Superintendent David Jackson said: "Last weekend, Met call handlers received 13,905 emergency calls via the 999 number. 11,527 of these calls were not an emergency.
"The 999 number is available to support people who are in danger or are witnessing a crime taking place.
"Our call handlers were kept minutes on the phone for non-emergency calls.
"This isn’t acceptable, these seconds and minutes are precious and could really be the difference between catching a crime in progress or very seriously, a difference between life and death.
"I say this not to dissuade you from contacting us, we are here to protect the public, however I do urge you to think before you dial.
"Are you in danger? Is there a threat to life? Can you see a crime being committed? If not then don’t call 999."
Police have urged people to call them on 101 or report something online if it is not urgent.
