Cumbria Police celebrates control room staff in international week

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 05:57 · Archive

Cumbria Police is marking International Control Room Week by recognising the work of staff at its Penrith headquarters.

Cumbria Police is marking International Control Room Week, running from 26 October to 1 November, by celebrating the work of staff at its command and control centre in Penrith, described as one of the most technologically advanced in the UK.

Deputy Chief Constable Jonny Blackwell said the force was fortunate to have 'talented and highly skilled teams and individuals working in one of the most challenging areas of policing'. He described control room staff as 'our frontline', noting that when they answer a 999 call, they have no idea what to expect and may be speaking to someone in crisis or experiencing the worst day of their life.

Blackwell said: 'It takes special people to remain calm, gather critical information and direct the appropriate resources to the scene to ensure an effective response.'

Cumbria Police's control room includes eight force incident managers, ten call handling sergeants, eight civilian dispatch supervisors, 46 police officer call handlers and 53 police staff dispatchers. It also has a civilian CCTV supervisor, two civilian CCTV operators, and 22 new police staff call handlers, supported by supervisors and a dedicated CCTV team.

The control room is equipped with advanced technology to support officers in protecting vulnerable people, locating missing individuals and bringing offenders to justice. One key tool is GoodSAM, which allows officers to send a text message link to members of the public during emergencies. Callers can use the link to share their precise location and grant temporary access to their mobile phone camera, providing real-time video from the scene.

How it is being reported

• Police join international campaign celebrating the work of control room staffPolice in Cumbria are celebrating the work of their control room staff this International Control Room Week.News & Star · 26 Oct, 05:00
• Police join international campaign celebrating the work of control room staffPolice in Cumbria are celebrating the work of their control room staff this International Control Room Week.Westmorland Gazette · 26 Oct, 05:00
• Police join international campaign celebrating the work of control room staffPolice in Cumbria are celebrating the work of their control room staff this International Control Room Week.Whitehaven News · 26 Oct, 05:00
• Police join international campaign celebrating the work of control room staffPolice in Cumbria are celebrating the work of their control room staff this International Control Room Week.NW Evening Mail · 26 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Cumbria Police · Jonny Blackwell · Penrith

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