The Communications Department deals with call handling and crime recording rather than enquiries about media and marketing.

Roles within the department include answering calls, dispatching officers, logging crimes and updating the Police National Computer.

Switchboard staff handle calls that are received via South Yorkshire Police’s contact number 0114 2 202020 and are then transferred appropriately depending on the nature of the call. The department also takes calls via the 999 service.

We pride ourselves on providing a high standard of customer service and work to the following targets:

• 999 calls: 90% of calls answered in 10 seconds
• Switchboard: 90% of calls answered in 30 seconds
• Non-emergency: 90% of calls answered in 30 seconds
• 101 (Sheffield area only): 90% of calls answered in 30 seconds

For the financial year 01/04/2007 – 31/03/2008 we achieved 87% of emergency calls answered in 10 seconds and 89% of non-emergency calls answered in 30 seconds.