This message has recently been received from
PCSO 27951 Timothy Leathers
Barton and Needwood PCSO, East Staffordshire Neighbourhood Policing Team – Shift 3 Uttoxeter, Tel 101
From 07.00 Monday 7th January, we’re changing the way the public and businesses can contact us as part of our commitment to ensure we help people as quickly, and in the best way we can from he moment they get in touch with us. The change will mean that the public and businesses will no longer be able to report crime on Facebook or Twitter, but will be able to speak to a Force Control Room Operator 24/7 via a new ‘LiveChat’ option via our website (www.staffordshire.police.uk). They will also be able to continue to report crime directly on our website. It has been brought in as we continue to look at better ways of responding to the public and businesses, while also ensuring that what they tell us is communicated to who needs to know within the organisation as quickly and efficiently as possible. It will mean that, from the moment a LiveChat is starter with us, a dedicated Force Control Room Operator will be across that case and will be responsible for making sure what the public and businesses are talking to us about is dealt with in the most appropriate and proportionate way. The LiveChat function also enables those with hearing and physical impairments to be able to report a crime or incident directly to a Force Control Room Operator. It is hoped that this change will enable us to reduce waiting times on our non-emergency 101 service, as well as provide clear instructions on how best people can get in touch with us. We will also be able to signpost to other agencies more efficiently as Force Control Room Operators can direct people to the best person to speak to about their concerns straight away.
Please can you distribute this change to as many people as possible if they ask how best to contact Staffordshire Police. I will update a number of our repeat callers with this information so they are prepared for this change on the 7th. Once again if you receive any information from the Public that needs to be passed to the Police, can you advise them that the best and most direct approach to finding a resolution is to contact us directly via this new system. 101 will still be available should people be unable to access the internet or feel more comfortable on the phone.