The Devon and Cornwall Police Service have reported that there has been a rapid improvement of services within the Force’s control room and this has placed Devon & Cornwall Police as ninth fastest to respond to emergency calls in November 2024 compared to 44 other forces.

In 2024, 94.2 per cent of 999 calls were answered within the threshold of 10 seconds, an improvement of 5.8% compared to 2023. In the second half of the year, the average wait time for 101 calls was 3 minutes 43 seconds, almost 27 minutes quicker than same period the previous year.

Devon & Cornwall Police received over 69,000 reports through the Force website in 2024. Across the whole year, the average wait time was less than 12 hours. This dropped to just under five hours in December 2024. By switching from taking reports by email to nationally standardised forms, the control room can now take more thorough and accurate information at the initial point of contact, saving time for members of the public.

Last September the Force was formally discharged by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) from the Engage phase of enhanced monitoring in relation to contacting the Force, following the Inspectorate’s concerns regarding emergency and non-emergency calls. In discharging the Force, the Inspectorate noted that Devon & Cornwall Police had made significant and sustainable improvements.

Devon & Cornwall Police have also been working with the NHS and social care providers across the Force area to implement Right Care, Right Person, a process to ensure that individuals who are experiencing poor mental health get the support they need from the relevant agency, which is often not the police. Control room staff are trained to assess the situation and provide the caller with guidance if the threshold for police attendance is not met.

Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Leaper said: “These rapid improvements in our handling of emergency and non-emergency contact from the public are proof of the continued hard work and dedication of officers and staff across all areas of the control room and at our front offices.

“People should feel confident that Devon & Cornwall Police can deliver the service our communities deserve. However, we recognise that past experiences of delays and queues may affect people’s perceptions. My hope is that we will continue to improve our contact with the public to ensure that victims receive the service they rightly deserve, and this will be felt across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

“Our recent performance is excellent, but we will not be complacent. If you’re not receiving a good service, I am keen to hear your feedback.”

Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “In 2017 I set a strategic ambition to improve connectivity between Devon and Cornwall Police and the public it serves. That strategy has been backed by significant investment in reopening 18 police enquiry offices and recruiting and training contact officers whose front-line role is crucial to policing.

“I am delighted that the hard work and investment by our communities via their council tax precept is finally paying dividends. However, we cannot be complacent and I will work with the Chief Constable to ensure that the service improvements continue.”

Finally, ACC Nikki Leaper is always very keen to get feedback from the public she serves, as it helps the Force to shape and improve the service they provide. She goes onto remark in her message to the Press, that whether the feedback is just to thank an individual officer or alternative a complain about the we handled a situation, she always wants to hera from you.. The weblink for the feedback is shown on this page.