#OpStayHome – the best ways to contact police

While people are spending more time at home, our officers and staff are continuing to work 24/7 to keep everyone safe.

If you do need to contact the police, there a variety of ways to get in touch depending on your requirement.

In an emergency, always call 999.

However if you do need to speak to us about a non-urgent policing matter, incidents and crimes can be reported on the force website here. In order to keep phone lines free to deal with serious incidents, this is currently the preferred method for non-urgent contact. The website also contains lots of guidance which may relate to your issue, including who the best agency is to speak to on issues including fly-tipping, noise complaints and parking.

However, if you do need to speak to someone on the phone (but it is not an emergency), you can call 101 or contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).

Updates about what is going on in your community can also be found on the force’s social media pages. Please note, we cannot take reports on here.

Supt Emma Bastone, who is responsible for the force’s control room, said: “Our officers and staff are working around the clock to keep our communities safe.

“Over the Easter bank holiday weekend, we saw a 36% increase on calls to our 101 number, compared to the previous weekend. Whilst we can take calls via 101, we would ask that if you do need to report an incident which is not an emergency, to please try our website first if you are able to.

“As always, we are here if you need us, but please keep our lines free for genuine emergencies and always use the most appropriate channel for your contact.”

#StayHomeSaveLives

Issued: HCB, Corporate Communications