E-Cops - Switchover to 101

FROM Sunday (April 1), Cambridgeshire police can only be contacted on 101 for all non-emergency calls.

The old 0345 number will be switched off and a recorded message will tell people to call 101.

The old number has remained in use alongside 101 for the past year to allow people time to get used to the new number.

For the first time, everyone calling the police for non-emergency matters will know exactly how much it will cost them and it will be the same no matter what time of day or the duration of the call.

The number change is part of a national scheme to make 101 the single non-emergency number in England and Wales.

The change has been introduced so residents will have one, easy-to-remember way to contact local police, wherever they are.

The system has been designed to recognise where the caller is dialling from and connect them with the local police service.

If a caller does not want to speak to their local force they will be given the option to be connected to different one.

The number change does not affect the way that calls are handled and non-emergency calls will continue 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People should continue to call 999 when an immediate response is needed, for example if a crime is happening, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, or someone is in danger.

Your Local Neighbourhood Policing Team