Features ONE month after major changes within the Operational Communication Branch were launched, Brief speaks to Chief Superintendent Ian Wiggett and his team about how things are shaping up. “Implementing change of this scale is not easy, I’ve already said thanks to all OCB staff for their positive approach, but I extend my thanks to everyone across the Force who is helping us get the new services right.”
Crime Input Unit and PAD “We were really isolated at Bootle Street so it’s good to be able to see what everyone else does. People are also surprised at how much we do
“I feel bad for officers who are waiting a long time to get their call answered but we’ve got new staff trained so it will get better.”
The Crime Input Unit and PAD both work from Claytonbrook and the teams are merging into one unit - the Crime Recording Unit. There is also a new service to record road traffic collisions on the telephone.
Force Command and Control (TNS, Vanguard, ANPR, PNC, Intelligence) The Force Command and Control team now operate from Claytonbrook OCR and include radio telephony PNC and enquiry service for frontline officers.
“Some officers regularly use the PNC 88898 service but others don’t seem to know what it is for. We can do more than just PNC checks to support them.”
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Brief Spring 2012 Edition
Changes take shape Call Handling All 999 and 101 (non-emergency) call handlers now operate from Trafford OCR as one contact centre. Diane Grandidge, Business Lead for “It is certainly better Contact being together in the same place Management said: and the new shift pattern is better. “Having a call Getting away at 5pm on an early centre environment shift is a nightmare though!” like this also helps us ensure we deliver the most “I miss my old team. The professional service new system means we all have possible, with quality different start times but it is monitoring that helps us better having all the call maintain our standards as a handlers together” nationally accredited contact management centre.”
Divisional Command and Control (Radio Operators) The radio operators now work from two locations. Command and Control South and West (A,B,C,L, M, F Divisions) operate from Claytonbrook OCR while Command and Control North and East (K, N, P, G, J, Q Divisions) “It is sometimes hard operate from Tameside OCR. to get air time when the channels are merged.” Andy Massey, Business Lead for Command and Control “I was worried that with said: “Bringing the change in staff that the radio Command an Control operators wouldn’t have the together like this was same local knowledge but that’s about working in better not the case.” ways and we have already seen a better flow of information and intelligence between the different teams. “There are still challenges but we will continue to review staffing levels to make sure we get it right.”
Switchboard The Switchboard team now work from two sites – Trafford OCR and a day shift at Claytonbrook.