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Police criticised for delay in 999 call response



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Published Date: 10 May 2008
By Victoria Taylor
Crime reporter
Police have launched an internal inquiry into why it took nine hours to respond to a 999 call reporting vandals smashing up a line of cars.
Stunned onlookers watched for 10 minutes as yobs smashed almost 20 car windows causing thousands of pounds of damage, while no police officers turned up despite the call being classed as an urgent Grade 1 emergency because the offenders were still on the scene.

It was the next day before a police officer turned up to investigate.

Ray Harwood, 66, was left fuming after the wrecking spree which happened at about midnight on Saturday.

The self-employed gas engineer, of Orchard Road, Southsea, said: 'I heard smashing glass and came out of the house. I looked down the road and saw them and heard them breaking windows.

'I phoned the police straightaway on 999. I thought there was no way these vandals couldn't be caught. They spent about 10 minutes in my road and then went around the corner into Talbot Road.

'I was so surprised the police didn't come. I dialled the non-emergency number again but still nothing. An officer turned up the next day. I couldn't believe it.

'I'm so annoyed. I feel sorry for the neighbours whose cars were damaged.

A total of 19 vehicles had windows smashed in Orchard Road and Talbot Road.

It is thought the vandals headed off into Francis Avenue and towards Devonshire Square.

Head of Portsmouth police Chief Superintendent David Peacock said: 'The call was marked at Grade 1. I've initiated the inquiry to find out how we've failed to respond.

'It's quite clear we didn't provide the response I would have expected and wanted.

'We'll be looking at the link between the control room in Netley and how that information was then distributed to our officers on the radio.

'I'm seeking to establish what we can do to prevent any repetition.'

It comes after three people were arrested and bailed after the windows of 57 vehicles were smashed by yobs who ran amok in the streets of Southsea last month.

Anyone with information should contact PC Taryn Alexander at Fratton Police Station on 0845 045 45 45 or (01962) 841534.

The full article contains 375 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 12 May 2008 7:27 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Portsmouth
 
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1

Pompey Freedom Fighters,

Portsmouth 10/05/2008 17:03:15
I will give you a personal insight into CSI David Peacock's mindset and this may be actually the reason the police in Portsmouth failed to discharge its duties. Here is the following email he sent me;
I have today received a message from my management assistant that you are seeking an explanation as to why I have not responded to the numerous e mails that you have sent to me.The answer is quite simple. Despite being a public servant, I feel that I have the right to be treated with respect in any communication by any member of the public. Furthermore I am not willing to correspond with anyone who is unwilling to show a basic level of respect for others.

It is quite clear under the stewardship of Mr Peacock in the first instance, it is highly unlikely that you will get a response, unless you start jumping through some imaginary hoops, where he obviously feels that before the police start discharging its statutory duties, one has to go down on bended knee, before you pass go!
2

Mike B,

portsmouth 10/05/2008 17:35:51
The police seem to be only intrested in any kind of car crime is when they can pick off a motorist.

3

mrs s,

southsea 11/05/2008 02:02:18
put up a cctv camera that has sond and put on record that way you have proof who done what if the police do not turn up simple.
but the police could of been very busy, even though it was classed as an emergency.
4

Scourge,

Portsmouth 11/05/2008 18:49:14
As a Taxpayer and Counciltax Payer, I demand to know what the Crime Czar PCC, with a degrss in criminology, Councillor Paula Riches, is going to do about this?
5

dan5545,

Southsea 11/05/2008 21:25:08
I was one of the victims of the vandalism on Saturday night. When I discovered what was left of my car, I rang the non-emergency police. I was told to 'deal with it', and that they weren't going to take it further. they also told me that I had to clear up the glass straight away otherwise I could get in trouble for it!

Disgusted with their reaction, I phoned 999. The police seemed more helpful but I am still waiting for the uniformed officer I was told would be coming around later that day!
6

Gedwards,

Portsea 12/05/2008 07:19:08
But if you'd caught one of the yobs and given him a smack the police would have been round in force to arrest you! I've been suffering from low level crime for years, car stolen, bike stolen, windows broken, front door kicked in, the latest was £250 damage to my motobike last monday.All reported,nothing done.It seems the police can't/won't do anything other than harrass motorists (Yep I got 3 points and £60 last friday) ....Strangely the policeman seemed to take offence when he tried to make small talk with me and I told him that I didn't really want to!
7

no 6,

fareham 12/05/2008 17:15:48
The point that CSI David Peacock makes.........."despite being a public servant"

as a public servant aren't they tasked to serve the public ?

The public are obviously too demanding !
8

Graham Wheatley,

13/05/2008 21:38:44
Last year I had a call from a friend in the early hours of a Wednesday morning. A drunk/drugged/mentally ill (it was unclear at the time) male was attempting to get into the house and my friend was fearful they would succeed.

She dialled 999 and was told "sorry we have nobody available". Apparently there was an 'incident' elsewhere that required every available officer on site. I could more understand it if it were a weekend, but at 01:30 on a Wednesday morning?

To cut a long story short : over three hours (and several repeat telephone calls later) no officer ever arrived. The chap eventually left the premises having deposited presents of spit and vomit all over the front door.

The following evening two officers turned up to apologise for the fact that no single officer could attend the previous incident. My friend accepted their contention that they "were understaffed, overworked and underpaid and it's all Tony Bliar's fault".

Two hours later, another duo turned up to apologise for the fact that no single officer was available to attend the previous incident. The best part is that the second pair were blissfully unaware that their colleagues had already been. I can't help thinking that there was an incident elsewhere in town that they could more usefully have attended instead.

Oh, and when I suggested that I throw him off the property myself, the response was that I could be arrested if HE made a complaint.

If there is a next time, I will save the bother of making the initial phone call.

9

Gedwards,

Portsea 14/05/2008 07:40:23
While I totally understand and agree with Graham's comments, having rung in low level crime on many occasions with no attendance by police, not bothering to phone crimes in results in lower reported crime figure's so the Police Chiefs (whom I regard as politicians rather than police men) can trumpet improved figures. The more we 'bug' them the more chance there will be of Police Chiefs actually doing something!

10

Pompey_BD,

Hilsea. 14/05/2008 11:40:02
When I was driving home past Hilsea on the M275/A27 northbound, some idiots were throwing concrete and other rubbish onto the motorway. A piece of concrete the size of my hand hit my drivers window and had it been six inches to the left, would have come through the windscreen and who knows what would have been.

A truck, following behind minutes later, was also hit.

I phoned the police and waited and after 20 minutes realised no-one was going to turn up, despite the obvious danger that was present from these yobs.

Some 50 minutes after I made my initial call, the police phoned me to say they were at the scene. They said, "Sorry, we had to come from Fareham." It takes me ten minutes maximum to drive from Fareham to the location during the day, let alone at half-past-midnight!

The officer gave the usual spiel about them being under-resourced but I told him it was a joke and wondered how quickly they'd been on scene had I been killed!! And this was on a Wednesday night too.

It's no wonder people take the law into their own hands when the police don't respond appropriately/at all. As Graham said, next time I'll just park up and throw some concrete at the yobs hopefully improving the situation by hitting one of them and killing them.

BD

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