Policy Details
Call Handling Policy
Dated: 18 Apr 2008
NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED
POLICY TITLE: Call Handling Policy
OWNING DIRECTORATE: Criminal Justice and Communications
AUTHOR: Communications Superintendent
CONTACT DETAILS: 03456 043 043 Ext. 69724
AIM OF POLICY: To provide the public with an effective and efficient contact management process, which embraces the concept of customer focus and tailors the access offered and the service provided to users’ actual needs and expectations
BENEFIT OF POLICY: Supports the aims of the QoSC (Quality of Service Commitment) to improve the level of service given to members of the public and to ensure the same high quality of service whenever they contact the police and to increase customer satisfaction
REASON FOR POLICY: Northumbria Police is committed to the aims of Citizen Focus and the QoSC, as highlighted in the National Policing Plan 2005-2008 and this commitment includes all contact from members of the public.
DESCRIPTION OF POLICY:
When handling public requests for service or advice, Northumbria Police will deal with all calls promptly and ‘in accordance’ with National Call Handling Standards by:
Giving priority to genuine emergency calls and processing them in line with best practice.
Processing less urgent calls in a consistent and appropriate manner.
Operating a Single Call Resolution Model in which callers are answered by trained and knowledgeable operators, who will endeavour to resolve calls at the first point of contact within a single call.
Northumbria Police will provide clear guidance to all staff within the force on how to deal with callers in line with the above standards.
This is linked directly to the force targets on answering emergency calls, non-emergency calls and attendance / resolution times for all incidents.
This policy refers to the following forms of contact:
999 calls
Non emergency calls
Direct Dial inwards (DDI)
SMS (community text messaging)
E-mail
Minicom (Textphone)
On line reporting
Facsimile
Internal calls
This will be achieved by following the procedures within the Northumbria Police Call Handling Plan.
SOURCE DOCUMENT: National Call Handling Standards
GROUPS AFFECTED: All staff
ACCESS AND DISCLOSURE RESTRICTIONS: None
This instruction is designed to avoid discrimination and in accordance with the Human Rights Act 1998 and its underlying principles.