In an emergency

Always dial 999 where you will then be put through to our control room who will direct the nearest officer to the scene.

999 is for emergencies only – an emergency is something that needs an immediate response. Using the 999 line unnecessarily could prevent somebody who is in danger from getting through to us.

999 should only be used in situations where:

• A crime is happening now
• People are injured
• People are being threatened or are in danger
• The offender is still there or is nearby

How quickly will we respond?
We aim to answer all 999 calls within 10 seconds and will send an officer immediately. We will tell you our estimated time of arrival and our pledge to you is to get to an emergency within 15 minutes in urban areas and within 20 minutes in rural areas. We pledge to get to less urgent calls as soon as possible, less than 60 minutes if it’s a priority, or for upset and vulnerable people. 
 

Not an emergency

 If you wish to speak to the police but it is not an emergency, please contact us on our Non Emergency Number: 0845 33 00 247

Our Non Emergency telephone number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call 0845 33 00 247 if:

• There is no immediate danger to life
• A crime is not in progress
• The offender is not nearby

Or if:

• You have a general enquiry
• You want to contact your local neighbourhood policing team
• You want to tell us about something that’s happened

To contact your Neighbourhood Policing Team telephone: 
0845 33 00 247

Click here to find out how we will respond.

 
Calls are charged at local call rates. Currently the Constabulary receives only 0.025p which is a small amount from each call made to our 0845 number.  This money is re-invested to help maintain the excellent service and facilities that we can offer to the people of Cumbria 24 / 7.

 
Whilst there are some numbers currently available that are cheaper to call such as "03" numbers, we have decided not to change our number, to do so would cost the Constabulary money to provide, which may affect the consistently high level of service and facilities that we currently offer.  
 
Looking to the future we will consider the provision of a single non-emergency number in collaboration with our regional colleagues from Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside. All options will be considered carefully, ensuring that we continue to maintain excellent service and facilities cost effectively for the people of Cumbria.