Police in England and Wales face 'rising and complex' 999 calls

Public turn to emergency number due to social services cuts and poor response on 101

The police service in England and Wales is in danger of being overwhelmed by a surge in 999 calls driven by a lack of confidence in the non-emergency 101 line, a policing watchdog has warned.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary found that 999 calls increased by 11% in two years, as the public made less use of the alternative number.