People asked for their views on 101 and 999 services in Southport and Merseyside

Residents of Southport and Merseyside are being asked to take a few minutes to tell police chiefs about their experiences of the 101 and 999 services, as well as preferences for future modes of contact.

The Police Contact Survey is open and runs until midnight on Sunday, June 26.

Participants are being asked a series of questions testing their understanding of emergency and non-emergency reporting systems, as well as newly emerging ways of contacting the police, like web chat, online forms and messaging over social media.

The survey, run by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), will help inform police forces, the Home Office and local commissioners on any challenges around reporting to the police and assist in forming plans for the future.

Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Merseyside Police answers more than one million calls for service each year and the data shows it is one of the most effective forces at responding to those calls quickly.

“Despite the number of calls continuing to increase, on average 80% of all calls to 101 are answered within 60 seconds and the force continue to work really hard to monitor and prioritise both emergency and non-emergency response times.

“The force has also introduced new methods for members of the public to contact them in recent years and residents can now report crime through the website and through the force’s social media platforms.

“It’s important that we continue to understand people’s personal experiences of trying to contact the force and examine how new technology can be used to further speed up response times and open new lines of communication and that’s why I’d encourage people to take part in this survey.”

The survey can be completed by clicking on the link here