West Midlands Police has made remarkable strides in improving its emergency call response times, according to recent data outlined in the annual report by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster.
The report highlights a clear enhancement in the force’s ability to promptly answer 999 emergency calls, with performance exceeding the national 10-second target. In 2024/25, the proportion of 999 calls answered within this timeframe rose from 93% to 96%, marking a 3-percentage point increase. The average time to answer these calls also dropped substantially, from five seconds to just three seconds—a 40% improvement—ensuring faster emergency support when every second counts.
Additionally, the number of callers abandoning 999 calls due to long wait times plummeted by 73%, falling from 651 to 179. This reflects improved efficiency in call handling and reduced frustration among the public.
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While 999 call volumes decreased by 10%—from 810,868 to 732,440—the demand for 101 non-emergency calls saw a 15% rise, increasing from 655,832 to 755,332. Despite this surge, West Midlands Police has effectively managed the higher call volume. The percentage of 101 calls answered rose dramatically from 87% to 95%, and compliance with the three-minute answer time target climbed from 76% to 93%.
Most impressively, the average time to answer 101 calls was slashed from 2 minutes and 13 seconds to only 36 seconds, representing a 72% reduction and ensuring quicker access to non-urgent police services. Correspondingly, abandoned 101 calls dropped sharply by 76%, from 36,091 to 8,665 calls.
These improvements underscore West Midlands Police’s commitment to providing swift and reliable service to the community, enhancing public safety and confidence through efficient and responsive call handling.