Recently there have been a number of inaccurate and misleading claims made about the possibility of the Police Authority and Force working with a private sector partner to provide some services such as Information Technology and handling calls from the public.
We think it is important for you to know the facts:
CLAIM: ‘Services could soon be in the hands of companies who will be putting profits before people.’
FACT: Control of all services would remain with the Police Authority and the Force.
CLAIM: 999 calls will be ‘privatised.’
FACT: Police officers would remain in the Control Room where calls are handled and the command arrangements for responding to incidents would remain with the Force. In reality calls would be handled by the same staff as at present.
CLAIM: Emergency calls would be ‘dealt with by someone in a call centre miles away who might send emergency services to the wrong address.’
FACT: There is no question of this happening. The Control Room and call handling would remain at the Force headquarters as at present.
CLAIM: There is no benefit in working with private sector partners.
FACT: Working with a private sector partner on the handling of custody services has released 36 police officers for front-line duties. Private partners have also been involved in providing the Cleveland Force with some of the best buildings and facilities in the country—and leading the way in providing mobile technology for officers on the beat.
The aim of working with a partner sector partner for call handling would be to improve the service—for instance be arranging for timed visits by officers and to check if people were happy with the service they have received.