POLICE in Cumbria have seen unprecedented levels of demand over the summer which have exceeded the emergency calls received during Storm Desmond.

In December 2015 the Constabulary received 5,486 emergency calls via 999 when the county was hit with significant flooding during Storm Desmond, with 5,890 and 5,690 calls been received during July and August this year.

Cumbria Constabulary’s assistant chief constable Mark Webster said: “We have seen an increase in calls for service over the summer and my officers and staff have dealt with a range of issues and responded quickly to the increased national security threat, protecting a number of high profile events over the county and responding to the highest ever level of 999 emergency calls."

Cumbria Constabulary receives more than 1,000 phone calls a day. This summer, the force answered 90 per cent of 999 calls in less than 10 seconds, with the average wait for people calling 999 being less than eight seconds.

“However, our resources are finite and the decision, quite rightly, to prioritise 999 calls has consequences elsewhere with there being an increase in waiting times on our non-emergency line, 101," Mr Webster said.

The 101 phone number is for non-emergencies, where people call to get advice and information or to report a crime which has occurred previously and response time is less of a factor.

Cumbria Constabulary’s Command and Control Room, unlike many police forces, is staffed by police officers.

This means that your call is taken by a police officer who can often resolve your issue there and then, rather than pass it on to someone else to deal with.

Mr Webster said: “I would like to thank the public for contacting us, often with important information and the patience they have shown during this period – particularly those people who have called our 101 non-emergency number and been faced with a wait, the average for August being eight minutes and 22 seconds. So far this month, the average call waiting time has fallen below five minutes.

“We would like to ask people to continue to have patience as, whilst we are taking action to reduce call answering time on the non-emergency phone line, our resources are limited and the financial reality is that we cannot simply put more people into the room without affecting policing elsewhere.”