Dial 101 for police non-emergencies in Ilfracombe

Communities across Devon including Ilfracombe can now dial 101, a new national police nonemergency telephone number; the current non emergency number 08452 777444 will be phased out. 

People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired will be able to 

textphone 18001 101. 

While 999 is a well-known number for reporting emergencies, the 2010 

British Crime Survey found that only 54% of the public knew which telephone number to call if they wanted to speak to their local police about policing, non urgent crime and anti-social behaviour issues. 

The introduction of the 101 number will help communities to keep their 

neighbourhoods safe by giving them one easy way to speak directly with their local police to report and discuss all non urgent police related issues. This new number will not change the way police respond to non-urgent calls or connect people to a large national call centre. Calls will still be received by call handlers in their control rooms. 

The number is already in use in Wales, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Sheffield and will be rolled out across the rest of the country by the end of this year.  

Calls to 101 will cost 15p per call, irrespective of how long that call may last. This cost applies to landlines and mobile phones. This will be the first time that everyone calling the non-emergency number will know exactly how much the call will cost and will be assured of equal access whether calling from a mobile or landline. 

You can still call 999 in an emergency; such as when a crime is in progress, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.