Police call handling passes mystery shoppers test

Calls to the non-emergency 0845 600 8000 number from people living in the Coleraine, Ballymena and Larne areas are answered at a call handing centre in Coleraine.

Earlier this year, an independent organisation used a number of ‘mystery shoppers’ to check how the police system coped with their calls.

Chief Superintendent Nigel Goddard, the H District commander, said he was pleased with the results. “The mystery shoppers had a range of questions to ask and the responses they received were turned into scores. The scores they gave to H District were consistently among the highest of the call handing centre in Northern Ireland.

“The mystery shoppers found that on average their calls to H District were answered in one or two rings, and the longest period they had to wait was four rings. In terms of the average, H District telephonists were the quickest of any in Northern Ireland to answer call .

“ ‘H’ District scored consistently well on the courtesy the telephonists and call handlers showed. Like the public generally, I am a firm believer that courtesy and consideration should be shown at all time.”

“Overall, I believe our performance had been thoroughly scrutinised and not found wanting.

“We will not rest or our laurels, though. I’m conscious that quite often people telephone police it’s because they have been a victim of crime or encountered a problem. Those can be stressful times, and it should be our duty to help by dealing with calls in a competent, professional and courteous way.”