West Midlands Police improve 999 call handling from mobiles

West Midlands Police has chosen to work with Northgate Information Solutions to improve the handling of emergency calls made from mobile phones.

At the moment their control room operators receive the address details of 999 callers only if they are using a landline when they make the call. Details of the call are given to the operator via the GIS (Geographical Information System) that is also supplied by Northgate.

The new system extends the range of the system to mobile phones. The location of the caller is provided by the relevant mobile network provider. Northgate will also provide an enhanced interface between the GIS terminals and the command and control system, based on its data integration tool, Connect, to ensure that operators can quickly access all the information they need.

David Meaden, Managing Director of Public Services at Northgate Information Solutions, said: “It is essential that control room operators can take decisions based on accurate information. In today’s world, this includes location information from callers who have had to dial 999 from their mobile phones. We are pleased to be continuing our work with West Midlands Police, helping them to make continuous improvements to the service they provide for their staff and the local communities they serve.”