Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach today praised the policing operation to maintain public safety throughout the football World Cup.
Leicestershire Police faced an unprecedented level of demand during the month-long tournament as thousands of people flocked to pubs, bars and other venues to cheer on the national team.
The force had no option but to cancel some rest days and time off to cope with the extra pressures which saw a record level of emergency calls received during England’s quarter-final match on Saturday.
Despite the intense demand and England’s World Cup dreams ending in heart break on Wednesday, just eight people have been arrested for affray offences during the whole tournament thanks to exceptional behaviour from fans and a well-planned policing operation.
The PCC today applauded the force for the way it had managed the potentially volatile situation which he said had prevented any serious outbreak of disorder or crime.
“Despite my disappointment at England’s World Cup exit, I couldn’t be prouder of the hundreds of police officers, PCSOs, Specials, resource planning teams, staff and volunteers who worked around the clock to keep fans safe throughout the tournament,” he said.
“A combination of hot weather, alcohol, high spirits and unexpected success has placed an unprecedented level of demand on 999 services during the contest but the robust way in which these pressures have been managed has been nothing short of outstanding and I would like to offer my heart-felt thanks to the force and its personnel for their commitment.
“Many police officers were asked to work longer hours than normal and sacrificed rest days and holidays to keep Leicestershire safe. This has undoubtedly had an impact on family life and levels of fatigue. Now that England’s World Cup dreams have come to an end I hope they enjoy some well-deserved time off to recuperate.
“I will continue to support Leicestershire Police by challenging the government to provide the resources necessary to cope with unforeseen demand pressures like those seen this week. A great deal is expected of our police officers and it’s only right that they have the support and resources required to do their job effectively whatever challenges are presented to them.”
A total of 661 emergency 999 calls were received in the 24-hour period covering England’s quarter final clash with Sweden on Saturday – the highest number ever recorded in the force’s history. This is in stark contrast with the average 420 calls taken on a normal Saturday.
In the days following the match a new record was set – with 669 emergency calls.
The force’s Contact Management Centre has been praised for its handling of the rush of calls after 76% of 999 calls were answered within 10 seconds while only 2% of emergency calls were abandoned which is well within expected performance.
Police received 445, emergency 999 calls on Wednesday – 183 of which were between 8pm and midnight. Despite the high volume of calls, only three people were arrested for assault and affray.
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Posted on Monday 16th July 2018