Would you have phoned the police ?

It’s so called “care in the community “. The police aren’t responding to calls about mental health issues in my area now. So even less care for the vulnerable.

It doesn't justify a 999 call, so what number do you use to report?

Joseann

It doesn't justify a 999 call, so what number do you use to report?

Non emergency number to call is 101.

Joseann

It doesn't justify a 999 call, so what number do you use to report?

Unfortunately at the time I couldn't remember the non urgent 101 police number and phoned 999. But the response on the phone assured me it was acceptable to phone in the circumstances. Must remember 101 police ,111 health

👍

My last dealings with the police I was reporting a crime and rang 101. Unfortunately I was kept waiting ages and when they eventually came I was told, by the police, I should have dialled 999!

I had a scruffy man in tears come to my door asking me to take him to see his dad in hospital. I felt very uncomfortable and he began to wave his arms around. There was no way he was getting in my car so I called the police and it took ages to get through by which time he'd gone. It turned out he knocked on people's doors a lot and I was told he didn't have a dad in hospital. I felt mean but the police said I'd done the right thing especially as I was on my own. I still feel uncomfortable about his situation though.

It's easy to be wise after the event when we've had time to consider what we might have done differently.

At the time, you rely on your instincts.

The way things are at the moment, with care-in-the-community allowing (it seems) many people to slip through the net, what else could you have done other than call the police?

I think you did the right thing.

You most definitely did the right thing, Jaffacake2, I would have done the same.

You did the right thing .
I've had to rescue several elderly ladies , who were collapsing in the street and being ignored by the commuters rushing to work .
One of them had an unravelled loo roll and faeces down her coat . She stank . It was a warm day . She was holding onto some railings as her legs weren't able to support her .
I got a chair from a cafe and the owner brought her some water .
The paramedic recognised her .
He'd been called out to her a couple of times before.
The next time a paramedic recognised me as the person who alerted him on a previous occasion !

You definitely did the right thing. Did the Police give you a contact number to phone afterwards? It would be reassuring for you to know the outcome, wouldn't it?

Well done you did the right thing.
Regardless of the correct phone number.

Yes you did the right thing, better to have used the 'wrong' number than not have 'phoned at all.

Rosie51

You did exactly the right thing Jaffacake, I would have phoned the police too.

Me too.
You did the right thing.

Just to clarify, I certainly wasn't criticising Jaffacake for dialling 999, although we are always told this is for a life threatening emergency only, (stabbing, shooting, injury etc). At least now the 101 number has also been implanted in minds, but in the bigger picture it probably didn't matter as it was only a brief call, not jamming the lines.

Well done Jaffacake2 you did absolutely the right thing.

thank goodness there are people who still care about vulnerable people.. like yourself Jaffacake

I agree totally with how the o p acted including using 999! The last time I used 101 I waited 45 minutes for an answer.If that had occurred in this case the vulnerable man may have come to harm.No choice when time is of the essence! Well done!

I needed to phone 101 recently and was on hold for 40 minutes before I was answered, so in this sort of case I wouldn't recommend it.

My son worked as a 999 Police dispatcher and said they have nine categories of emergency calls and times to respond within, everything from life in immediate danger onwards.

Well done for acting Jaffacake2.

You did the right thing.

I would have rung the police too
I rang 999 when a man, fairly young, went down in a (seeming coma) on the beach he was prone for about 20 minutes and could not be roused I held on trying to get an answer from 999 then he then opened his eyes slowly got up and started to slowly walk off I tried to talk to him to see if he was ok but he didn’t answer just carried on walking, so I put the phone down and just hoped he was ok ( there was no smell of alcohol or drugs and he was well dressed ) anyway nothing more I could do I went home and carried on with my day
11.30 that night there was a banging on my door and two paramedics stood there they had managed to locate my phone number and wanted to know if I was ok !!!!!!

Joseann

Just to clarify, I certainly wasn't criticising Jaffacake for dialling 999, although we are always told this is for a life threatening emergency only, (stabbing, shooting, injury etc). At least now the 101 number has also been implanted in minds, but in the bigger picture it probably didn't matter as it was only a brief call, not jamming the lines.

I see your point.

However, stabbings and shootings are very obvious. Someone behaving very oddly might well be nothing to seriously worry about - but without knowing the circumstances surrounding such behaviour - how is one to judge when a situation could turn, in an instant, into a real emergency?

It's similar to those who are deemed to be bothering their GP with symptoms which ultimately turn out to be due to something that's not serious. But, how do you know in advance that they are not serious?

Many years ago, a man behaving very alarmingly on the street where I lived at the time appeared to be threatening passers-by. In fact, he was no threat - but that was only revealed when my mother, who knew him well - and the condition which caused his behaviour - appeared on the scene and guided him back home. Someone could though have easily dialled 999 not having any knowledge of this.

It's a difficult call - literally - but if it turns out not to be the emergency we think it is, then yes, a little police time has been wasted.

Perhaps we actually need more police in the force rather than be left to make split-second decisions like the OP?

Jaffacake2 that was kind. We are our brother's keeper - my dear Father taught me that.

You did the right thing, he sounds vulnerable and in need of support.