An inappropriate caller to the emergency 999 service wanting police to give them a lift to hospital, was highlighted among things dealt with by Suffolk Police's control room staff in just one day

The call came as Suffolk Constabulary held a 10-hour Tweetathon to demonstrate the level of demand and variety of incidents control room operators respond to on an average day.

The event ran from 11am until 9pm yesterday, Wednesday 21 June, with a dedicated team of volunteer police officers and staff tweeting basic details of as many 999 and 101 calls as possible that came into the Constabulary's Contact and Control Room (CCR).

The aim was to build on public confidence and understanding in local policing by raising awareness of when it is appropriate to call the police and highlight the online channels that could be used as an alternative method of contact.

SPLive10 team involved in Tweetathon (Picture: Suffolk police)

Using #SPLive10, a total of 283 CADs, or police incidents, were created during the event, with 551 calls received via 999 and 248 via the non-emergency 101 number. 85 crimes were reported online and only 27 enquiries were made via the Live Chat service, which is available weekdays between 9am and 5pm.

246 tweets were issued by @SuffolkPolice, which received 86 comments, 122 re-tweets and more than 800 likes. 

Most calls were public order offences, reports of antisocial behaviour, road related issues and domestic abuse incidents. Other calls received included shoplifting reports, concerns for safety and animal-related calls such as escaped piglets and a dog locked in a hot car.

Inappropriate calls to the 999-emergency line included a request for a lift from police to hospital, report of a collision that had occurred hours before and an enquiry about someone in custody.

The feedback from the public was predominantly positive. Several Twitter users said the Tweetathon was a "fascinating insight", while another said it "demonstrates the variety and scope of reports you have to deal with".

Police despatcher

Almost 500 people responded to the final poll of the day, which asked whether members of the public would like Suffolk police to share this type of information in future Tweetathon events and more than 90% responded with yes.

Chief Inspector Shawn Wakeling said: "The general public are our greatest partner; usually first on the scene of an incident, they can report crimes and provide us with intelligence to help build on investigations.

"However, in order for us to be able to provide the best service to the public we also need their help in contacting us appropriately. The Tweetathon gave us the opportunity to show and explain what constitutes as an emergency so people can be better informed when to call the emergency line and what can be handled online, whether that's for advice and information or online reporting.

"It was disappointing that our Live Chat service only received 27 enquiries yesterday. Our Live Chat operators are real people – they are not a 'bot' – who have received the same training as our call takers. They can answer general enquiries, provide updates to your existing reported incident and help you navigate our website. The service also provides a communication channel for those who are hearing impaired and it also automatically translates 100 languages, which assists people who are less comfortable communicating in English.

"Overall the Tweetathon was a really successful event - it highlighted the sheer volume of calls that we receive on an average day and provided the public with a rare insight into policing that also allowed them to engage and interact with us, take part in our polls to better understand what we do and share their reactions in real-time.

"I'd like to thank the public for their comments and continued support, and reassure them that we are constantly reviewing our performance to help us better understand the call demand so we can improve our efficiency."

Chief Inspector Shawn Wakeling (Picture Suffolk Police)

The Suffolk Constabulary website holds a host of information: crime prevention advice, a reporting facility for non-injury road traffic collisions and incidents of anti-social behaviour, as well as details of how to contact the correct agency for queries around noisy neighbours, lost property such as pets, or road maintenance such as faulty traffic lights or potholes. It also provides the additional option to report an incident that does not require immediate assistance to help alleviate the call demand and enable staff in the control rooms to focus on more urgent issues.

Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said: "I am so pleased that the Tweetathon has been such a success. It was a really good opportunity for everyone to see exactly what the Constabulary deals with on a day to day basis, and doing this in real-time made this a particularly authentic exercise.

"It is a vivid illustration of the volume of work that front-line officers undertake during a normal working day and from the feedback it is clear that it was very well received by the public.

"I hope this insight into the control room will also help people understand when to call 999 and what is less urgent, when an email, live chat or call would be more appropriate. 

"There has been a significant investment in the Control Room over the past two years – funded by the policing precept – and this has included improving online reporting and the introduction of live chat to alleviate the strain on the 101 service. The Tweetathon has clearly shown the volume and complexity of calls and how important and necessary this investment has been."

For regular updates and information from the Constabulary, follow @SuffolkPolice, like 'Suffolk Constabulary Official Page' on Facebook or follow @SuffolkPolice on Instagram.