Think before you call 101, urge cops

The force said that only half of calls received by 101 operators should be going to that number, which delays genuine calls being answered.

The new campaign aims to stop operators having to deal with calls such as “There’s a bat on my ceiling” and “My carpet’s not been delivered on time”.

Other calls which should not go to 101 include requests for investigation updates, requests for a specific department or non-police issues.

Throughout the campaign, South Yorkshire Police will be sharing genuine calls to 101 on the police’s social media channels and asking people to think before they call.

There will also be a twitterthon on November 5 where the police will tweet out all the calls its operators get in from 4pm to midnight to highlight the range of calls handled.

There will also be a social media quiz on twitter where the police will be sharing scenarios and asking the public who they would have called.

People can get involved by following @syptweet using the hash tag #whoyougonnacall.

If people experience an incident, they can look at southyorks.police.uk/whoyougonnacall to see if it is a police issue before calling. Incidents can now be reported online.

Tracy Potter, head of Force communications, said: “We understand the frustrations you have in trying to get through to the 101 number, and have listened to your concerns.

"With nearly 2,000 calls a day, the call handlers are extremely busy.

"This campaign aims to highlight the correct way to use 101, to ensure the genuine calls to report an incident can get through.

“Our message is think before you call.

"We have developed a web page which offers advice about what is a police issue and what sits with another organisation. If you’re not sure please have a look at this before calling us.

"We have also listened to feedback from the public and you can now report an incident online, as an alternative to calling 101.”