Police call handlers can receive as many as 1,300 calls to 101 and 600 emergency 999 calls in just one day. Many of the calls they receive are reports of incidents that could be resolved using the police online services.

This is why members of the public are being asked to only #CallWhenItCounts, to reserve call handlers’ time on the line for real emergencies, and for people who need us the most.

There are plenty of ways to get in touch with the police that do not involve calling 101. Next time you are about to contact the police on 101, stop and think:

• could this issue be submitted using an online report?
• could I speak to an operator using live web chat instead?
• is this an issue that should be directed to my local council instead?

Together with police online services, the pressure on police our call handlers can be eased. (Remember to always call 999 in an emergency situation, if a serious crime is in progress or you think it is imminent.)

Instead of using 101 you can use :

Cambridgeshire police want to make sure you feel safe in your local area. If you have concerns about something you’ve seen or you want to report a location that feels particularly unsafe, you can do it on the Your Area page on the Cambridgeshire police website.