Essex's police authority chairman has launched an astonishing attack on his force's centralised call centres, urging residents to ring 999 direct if they need a police officer.

Robert Chambers admitted the force had "failed miserably" and "wasted" £1.5million of taxpayers' cash developing the call centre system for non-emergency calls.

Giving his annual report to a south Essex council, he even urged residents to ring his home or mobile number if they fail to get a decent service.

Mr Chambers admitted callers wait for long periods to speak to police personnel and operators often do not know areas where they were calling from, leading to confusion and errors He said: "Frankly, it's not acceptable

"You, the taxpayers of Essex, deserve a reasonable service when you ring through and it isn't happening.

"Three or four years ago we looked at the system. We have spent £1.5million to improve the service and we have failed miserably.

"We got it wrong. It has not got better."

Mr Chambers, a Conservative who represents Saffron Walden on Essex County Council, said the authority was well aware of all the problems and that "within two or three weeks", it would be announcing a significant change.

Published Thursday July 29, 2004

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