Police achieve 999 target for first time

Wiltshire Police has hit the national target for 999 answer rates for the first time.

Each month the force takes an average of 8,000 emergency calls. In November, it answered more than 90% of them in under 10 seconds, which is the national target.

This is a huge improvement from March, when it ranked as the worst force in the country.

Ch Insp Al Lumley, said the department continued to "push forwards" to improve further in 2025.

Ch Insp Al Lumley said they are always looking for ways to improve

Answer rates for 999 calls are recorded monthly and shared with every police force across the country.

"It's not a league table but we use it to compare ourselves against other forces," said Ch Insp Lumley.

In March, Wiltshire Police was ranked 44th - the worst in the country, in November it reached 21st.

"We're not happy with being average, our focus hasn't stopped," he added.

'Astronomical'

A new project analysing demand and the latest cohort of new call operators was expected to see the force "go up that table even more" in 2025, he said.

Ch Insp Lumley said: "The amount of responsibility they have and the amount of hats they have to wear is astronomical."

Answering 999 calls is about 50% of a call operator's job, building flex into the system is credited with helping the force to improve.

"When demand is outstripping capacity, the room will flex," Ch Insp Lumley said.

"They'll (call operators) stop what they're doing, take on new responsibilities to meet that demand."

Technology, recruitment, training and improvements in "empathy fatigue" have also helped rates to improve.

Ch Insp Lumley said: "Whenever there's a sentencing for a serious crime we go back to the initial call taker to say, 'You achieved this'.

"It helps makes sure the operators here are continually reminded that every caller (is experiencing) the most significant moment of their life, and so the operator's able to give them their best possible service."

Shannon Hibbert, 19, has been a call handler for 12-months and has seen the changes first-hand.

"For some people it was quite a low point to know we were at that bottom, (of the table)," he said.

"For others it gave us motivation to do better and build our way back up".

Her first solo call was a domestic incident.

"It's scary, but there's such an adrenaline rush and you feel quite proud that you can help someone" she said.

"Everyday is different and that's what I love most about this job. The good days really stick with you."