101 The new single non-emergency number

What you need to know.
101 will offer the public across England and Wales one easy way to contact their local police force to report non-emergency crimes and disorder or to speak to their local police officers. 101 provides the public with a memorable number to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response. Such as:

• if their car has been stolen;
• if their property has been damaged or vandalised;
• where they suspect drug use or dealing;
• if they want to report a minor traffic collision;
• if they want to provide information about crime

How will it work?
When a member of the public calls 101, the system will determine the caller’s location and connect them to the police force covering that area. They will hear a recorded message announcing which police force they are being connected to. If a caller is on a boundary between two or more forces, the recorded message will give them a choice of which force to be connected to.

Police call handlers in your force control room will then answer the calls and respond appropriately. The caller will not be put through to a large national call centre.

If the incident is recognised as an emergency, the operator or police call handler will put them through to 999 unless there is a protocol in place for them to handle 999 calls.

How much does it cost to call?
Calls to the 101 non-emergency number will cost 15 pence for the entire call, no matter how long the call or what time of day it is. This applies to both landlines and mobile phones.

What does this mean for you?
101 will not change your job but it will change how the public get in touch with the police. It will make the service more accessible and it could potentially reduce pressure on the 999 system, allowing your force to prioritise the most urgent calls for help.

What do you need to do next?
Once you know your ‘go live’ date you can start to think about how to inform the people you work with about the new number. Not just informing your colleagues, but the services and organisations you work with and who call your force. It’s important that they are made aware of the change.

If you have the opportunity, you might want to think about how you can inform the public in the communities where you work. Think about every occasion you speak to members of the public. How will you tell them about the new phone number?

Your communication department may have plans or resources for informing the public so where possible co-ordinate what you do with them.