The Gauteng 10111 Command Centre shed some light on what the public should do when contacting the centre in emergency situations.
Captain Pinky Tsinyane of the centre said, “Often, when people make an emergency call, they assume that the 10111 command centre responds to crime scenes. The function of the centre is to receive and dispatch complaints to police members who are working or patrolling in different areas or sectors.”
She said in an emergency, police would arrive shortly after they had been notified by 10111 personnel. “Once you have made the first call, get an Incident Register number (IR) before you end your call. The IR number will help if you call again or have an enquiry. Our call takers and dispatchers will ensure that your complaints are registered and dispatched.”
It is important for a complainant to give exact details of the incident to 10111 personnel so that they can dispatch the correct police unit to deal with the situation.
Tsinyane added that the centre received a lot of abusive, hoax and prank calls from children and adults. “This type of behaviour delays a real emergency call. It makes it difficult for the public who need police assistance urgently to get help, even costing lives.”
10111 advises emergency callers to:
- Try to be calm, speak clearly and slowly so the telephone operator can assist you faster. Give the telephone operator your contact number, full address where the incident is happening and the type of incident and, if possible, provide the description of the nearest landmarks such as a post office, shops or clinic
- Parents are requested to only call the emergency centre if it really is a police matter – parents have called to report children who do not want to do their homework
- Know your sector and the cellphone number which is written on the side of a sector vehicle that patrols your area. That number will help to get police assistance immediately if you cannot get through to the Gauteng 10111 Command Centre.
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