Inside the control room: meet Colleen

This week we’ve been highlighting the people who answer your 999 and 101 calls.

Meet Colleen, who joined the force control room as a call handler at the beginning of this year in January.

“It’s a demanding role but so rewarding,” Colleen says. “A typical shift could mean taking life-threatening emergency calls, 101 calls about thefts or anti-social behaviour, or responding to live chat messages.”

One call that has stayed with Colleen involved a firearms incident where a woman and her young family were in danger. “I stayed on the line offering reassurance until it was safe for officers to approach the address,” she recalls.

“I’m proud to be part of a team that works together to protect the public and support each other, it’s been a busy but great first year in the job.”