Surrey Police praised for quick responses as 999 call answering time improves
His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire lifted its 'causes of concern' for Surrey Police given in an inspection in late 2023
Surrey Police has been commended for its remarkable advancements in emergency call handling, now making the force the second-fastest in the country to answer 999 calls.
Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, has acknowledged the efforts of police officers and staff in implementing significant changes that have led to improved call response times.
These improvements follow a review by His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire, which lifted its 'causes of concern' for Surrey Police after an inspection in late 2023.
The inspection highlighted issues in the service provided when residents contact the police.
Efforts to revamp the operations have focused on Surrey Police’s Force Command Centre and the Contact and Transformation Command, both based at Force Headquarters in Guildford.
The changes mean officers now respond to the most urgent calls within 13 minutes, considerably faster than the national standard of 20 minutes.
Non-emergency calls made to 101 are answered more swiftly, now averaging 12 seconds, compared to 3.4 minutes in December 2024.
The call abandonment rates for these calls have reduced from 36 per cent to seven per cent.
Emergency 999 calls are now answered in two seconds, rather than five, and the call abandonment rate has decreased to two per cent.
Lisa Townsend expressed satisfaction with Surrey Police's progress, saying: “I am absolutely delighted with the dramatic improvements Surrey Police has made since our 2023 PEEL review."
"It is fantastic news that the average waiting time for a 999 call in Surrey is now just two seconds, and that the Force is the second-fastest in the country to answer these emergency calls."
"These improvements are not only significant but sustained, and the Force’s progress continues to this day."
She further highlighted the importance of being able to reach the police during emergencies, noting that such calls are critical and can be a matter of life or death.