Police were called out to a 999 call after a mysterious bright stationary object appeared in the night sky over the valleys.
The police have recorded the calls as a moment of genius – you can hear them here.
It goes something like this:
Control Room: “South Wales Police, what’s your emergency?”
Caller: “It’s not really. I just need to inform you that across the mountain there’s a bright stationary object.”
Control room: “Right.”
Caller: “If you’ve got a couple of minutes perhaps you could find out what it is? It’s been there at least half an hour and it’s still there.”
Control: “It’s been there for half an hour. Right. Is it actually on the mountain or in the sky?”
Caller: “It’s in the air.”
Control: “I will send someone up there now to check it out.”
Caller: “OK.”
The mystery was soon solved, as the exchange between control and an officer at the scene, makes clear.
Control: “Alpha Zulu 20, this object in the sky, did anyone have a look at it?”
Officer: “Yes, it’s the moon. Over.”
Fantastic, but the police are using it to highlight that 999 should only be used in EMERGENCIES, unlike:
- The caller who rang asking for help when they wanted to vote for Rhydian on the TV programme X-Factor (she needed locking up if you ask me!)
- The caller that wanted a pound for their shopping trolley (have they not got one of those keyring pound things?!)
Instead of saying “South Wales Police, how can I help?”, control room staff now say “South Wales Police what is your emergency?”
Since the change, they have reported a 10% drop in 999 calls.
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