101 is confirmed as the new telephone number for the public to ring on community safety and anti-social behaviour issues.
The service is designed, the authorities say, to improve the delivery of non-emergency services by ensuring a better co-ordinated response by local agencies, while freeing up the 999 service to handle emergency incidents. It will be provided by local authorities and police forces working together to deliver services and handle calls. The new three-digit number will initially be launched in five ‘Wave 1’ areas this summer and will be rolled out across England and Wales by 2008.
The 101 service has been set up to give the public direct access to the services they want. The initial scope of the service has been developed through research with the general public, and in consultation with local authority and police force partnerships.
The core service will cover:
vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property;
noisy neighbours;
intimidation and harassment;
abandoned vehicles;
rubbish and litter, including fly tipping;
people being drunk or rowdy in public places;
drug related anti-social behaviour and street lighting.
What police say
Mike Goodwin, ACPO lead on Anti-Social Behaviour issues and Assistant Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, said: "ACPO fully supports the announcement that 101 has now been designated as the new Single Non-Emergency number (SNEN). We hope that this facility will not only improve access to non emergency police and local authority services but will also greatly reduce the current misuse of 999 by callers.
"Misuse of the current 999 service can seriously detract police resources away from tackling genuine emergencies such as where there is a crime in progress or there a life in danger. This new co-ordinated partnership between police and local authorities will assist in tackling anti-social behaviour including those often difficult and protracted ‘quality of life’ issues, where the resolution is not normally an just an issue for police alone. The SNEN will fully support the police service’s commitment to Neighbourhood policing, in achieving a visible difference in neighbourhoods, improving safety and reducing the fear of crime."
