Online ‘LiveChat’ reporting tool launched after World Cup prompts unprecedented demand
A force is encouraging people to report crimes online rather than picking up the phone after a weekend that saw it experience an unprecedented rise in demand.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is going live with a new online chat service that will let members of the public contact it over the internet.
The service has already been tested as a pilot project over the last six months but is now being introduced force-wide to meet an “ever increasing demand for services”.
Its rollout follows a weekend in which GMP received more than 8,000 emergency and 101 calls, the most it has seen for more than two years.
Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling said: “We work really hard to deal with everything that comes in to us in the best and most efficient way possible and remain committed to protecting the people of Greater Manchester.
“However, we need the public to work with us, think before they call and do everything they can to support each other and keep our communities safe.”
The LiveChat programme is usable between 8am and midnight, and allows people to report crime, provide information, request updates on offences and ask any other relevant questions.
Requests submitted through the system are sent to a specially trained advisor, who can respond to their query online rather than over the phone.
LiveChat’s pilot saw 14,237 conversations take place on topics ranging from noise complaints to disclosures of domestic abuse and modern slavery.
Its introduction has been timed to coincide with England’s semi-final World Cup match against Croatia on Wednesday (July 11) as GMP expects a spike in demand similar to the one it experienced last weekend.
Between 7am on July 7 and the same time on Monday (July 9), the force received 5,229 calls to the 999 number and 3,121 to 101.
One of these included a woman who dialled 999 after she was hurt getting her eyebrows plucked.
GMP claimed the hot weather, weekend drinking and the World Cup game on Saturday all contributed to the rise in pressure, and predicts this increase will continue with Wednesday’s match.
Mr Pilling said: “Please think before you pick up the phone. Do you really need us? Is the information on our website? Could you talk to us via LiveChat?
“We’re always here to help anyone who needs us, and always will be, but everyone needs to play their part.”