101 and 111 the same day....

....and both useless.
Called 111 this morning after finding management unconscious on the dining room floor. Absolutely hopeless, couldn't get through and put on hold for what seemed like ages so called 999 where the experience was exactly the opposite.
Called 101 just now as a very suspicious character was hanging around the house, tapped on the door as he probably thought no one was in and came up with a story about being ex forces and selling stuff. In cricketing terms I believe you say I dismissed him.
Called 101 to report it and put in a line which after 30 minutes a message said we are busy and don't know when you will be dealt with

It's been a very strange day but what is the point of these numbers if nothing is dealt with.

Or do we just blame covid

What’s more, it costs to ring 101. I gave up on it and mailed instead when I needed to make contact.

We had a community alert regarding cold callers claiming to be ex-offenders selling stuff, warned it was a scam and to report them but not much point if 101 won't answer. And they wonder why people ring 999 and then tell them off if it's not an emergency.

Hope management (and you) are ok GH. Take care

Tinwheeler wrote:What’s more, it costs to ring 101. I gave up on it and mailed instead when I needed to make contact.

Never knew that!

I recently witnessed a minor crime, and rather than be hanging on a telephone for ages, I thought I'd call at the police station and report it in person. Now I knew it was still open as it's quite a major station. But it wasn't till I walked up to the locked door that I saw a sign saying this police station is not open to the public, and to phone 101... I didn't bother.
What galls is that year on year the police percentage of my council tax bill goes up at least three or even four times as much the general percentage increase.
Where is all this money going? I guessing it's to cover their vast pensions.  
Al.

You are not wrong Al, I did some voluntary work for the Police but recently refused to do any more because to me the management is shambolic.
I have a little recent experience of two public bodies and in both cases the wastage is laughable and efficiency sadly lacking. Complete change of ethos is the only answer but good luck to whoever tries to install that.

My son is a partner in a chartered accountant business, and frequently is called on to sort out the mess created by public bodies. He's gobsmacked by the way things are run and says if private companies operated in that way they'd end up in court.
Al.

I worked for, sorry was employed by, a Local Authority. All I'll say is the Peter Principle is spot on

groundhog wrote:Called 101 just now as a very suspicious character was hanging around the house, tapped on the door as he probably thought no one was in and came up with a story about being ex forces and selling stuff. In cricketing terms I believe you say I dismissed him.
Called 101 to report it and put in a line which after 30 minutes a message said we are busy and don't know when you will be dealt with

Follow up, I live in a small community within which is a retired met DCI who is the self appointed man for anything suspicious, I had informed him yesterday. He called this morning, transpired this was a gang of three people working the local area, at least two elderly residents had given them cash and probably several more that have said nothing. They were last seen driving off in a black Range Rover. Now had 101 answered my call and the police made an appearance I wonder what the difference would have been.
There are several motorhomes parked in driveways around here, I have a neighbours Burstner plus mine parked up so the our six foot high metal gates are now chained and padlocked just in case. Don't expect this sort of thing down here but times are changing.

Thanks for the heads up, GH. 

You’ll have seen the news about drug busts and stolen catalyser arrests in the area too.

Yes, there were police with sniffer dogs walking up and down the edges of the A39 a few days ago, seems someone was suspected of throwing drugs out of a car window. That with someone cutting down the average speed cameras at Perranarworthal makes you wonder, a few years ago that would never have happened down here.

It’s a far cry from the rum smugglers of old!

We’ve had some ‘big’ crimes too over the years, of course. Only this week the police launched another appeal for info on the murder of Lyn Bryant on the Roseland 25 years ago. Then there was the murder of the couple who ran the garage at Winnards Perch. 

Just a couple of examples from over the years but, I agree, it’s a sign of the times that local crime seems to be increasing and often perpetrated by folk travelling here for that purpose.

Wait till the imports start escaping from the ex military bases.......

They’re in hotels down here.

Have to say, I gave up on an Police response to anything about a decade ago. In our part of Glasgow, we now deal with issues pretty effectively ourselves. We appreciate this can come with some risks. Fortunately we have a few retired military, a former Police sergeant and several reformed characters who now value the quiet life. Just last week we had a stolen car returned within two hrs and couple of European "window cleaners" evicted pretty swiftly from the area. The authorities gave us the impression they couldn't or wouldn't assist in stopping the escalation of antisocial behaviour and crime, so what do they expect us to do?