Commissioner hails “dramatic improvements” as Surrey Police becomes second-fastest at answering 999 calls

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner has hailed a “dramatic improvement” in the time it takes Surrey Police to answer and respond to 999 and 101 calls. 

Lisa Townsend praised contact centre staff and officers for a slew of significant changes, which have seen the Force climb national league tables for 999 call answering times. 

It comes as His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire lifts its ‘causes of concern’ for Surrey Police after an inspection in 2023. 

During the inspection for the Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) review, issues around the service residents receive when they contact their police were highlighted.

In the time since the view, the operation of Surrey Police’s Force Command Centre and the Contact and Transformation Command – both based at Force HQ in Guildford – have been overhauled.

As a result of the changes:

📞 999 calls are being answered in an average of just two seconds

☎️ Contact made via 101 are now answered six minutes faster than in December 2024, with an average answer time of 12 seconds – down from 3.4 minutes

🚓 Officers now attend the most serious calls for service within 13 minutes - seven minutes faster than the 20-minute national standard

2⃣ The Force is now the second-quickest in the country for 999 call answering times

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “I know from speaking to residents that being able to get hold of Surrey Police when you need them is absolutely vital and a call into our contact centre can be a matter of life or death.

“Since I recruited Chief Constable Tim De Meyer three years ago, a key priority for both us was making sure that when the Surrey public needed police, they receive the quick and effective response they rightly expect.

“I’d like to thank every officer and member of staff who have worked tirelessly to achieve this turnaround and deliver the results we are seeing for Surrey’s residents."