As we know, emergency 999 calls have nearly doubled during last couple of years. The worse aspect is that people are misusing this service for trivial reasons. As reported by police, some bizarre, hotchpotch reasons for ringing police is sighting of foxes in their gardens, to complain about late delivery of consumer goods, unavailability of GP appointments or just to ask time, complain about neighbours which has nothing to do with police.
Now police has launched information blitz to educate people, advising them to ring 101 for non-emergency and search internet for information rather than asking police, thus wasting police time and jamming emergency line that may be a matter of life and death to some.
Police have identified 220 such callers who made unbelievable 66K calls between them who are persistent misusers. One such caller was jailed for 12 weeks. But police could not prosecute every one, as some have mental health problems or are too old, too fragile who are in need of social care and support.
One reason for misuse is lack of family and neighbourly support, isolation and decline of social services that leaves venerable people isolated. It could be cry for help that falls on deaf ears. Then we are living in fast changing materialist world devoid of family values, even among feckless Indian community.
Kumudini Valambia
By email
