Sussex Police tops national 999 response times

Every second counts when it comes to catching criminals and savings lives.

For the eleventh month in a row, Sussex Police is proud to have had the quickest response to 999 calls of any emergency service in the country.

And now that hard work has been recognised when Sussex Police won the Force Control Room Team of the Year Award at The National Control Room Awards ceremony on Thursday. (July 9)

The awards cover the whole of the UK and include fire and ambulance control rooms, in addition to police forces.

The Team of the Year Award recognises “team spirit in the control room, team working in planning and executing service strategies, first-class collaboration and performance, demonstrated by outstanding results and outcomes for the people they’re serving in the community.”

Sussex Police won for “delivering an exceptional service to the people of Sussex, setting the national benchmark for emergency call handling.

“Driven by a shared commitment to protecting communities, they have significantly reduced response times to high risk incidents while improving both emergency and non-emergency services.

“Recognised nationally as a centre of excellence, the team’s professionalism and unwavering dedication continue to inspire forces across the UK.”

Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “I commend the members of the team for their quick response to 999 calls. Every second counts when it comes to catching criminals and saving lives.

“I’m so proud of them for their true commitment to supporting the community in their time of need. It’s absolutely right that their efforts are recognised.”

Head of Force Contact, Command and Control Department, Chief Superintendent Jon Robeson said: “This award is real testament to the dedication and professionalism from all who work in the department. It is fitting that with 11 months of being the top performing force in the country for 999 call handling performance that this has been recognised with the national award and demonstrates the investment and commitment Sussex Police has put into ensuring we deliver an outstanding service to our communities.”

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “I am absolutely delighted that Sussex Police has been recognised as the national winner at the Control Room Awards 2026.

“This is testament to the dedication, professionalism and hard work of our contact centre staff and officers, who provide an outstanding service to the public every day.

“Improving call-handling and response times has been a key priority throughout my time as Police and Crime Commissioner, due to the large volume of complaints I used to receive from the public in the early days of my tenure.

“Through sustained oversight, scrutiny and substantial investment, I have consistently challenged Sussex Police to improve performance, while ensuring the resources were in place to deliver the service that residents rightly expect.

“Local people repeatedly told me they wanted calls answered quickly and emergencies responded to without delay, so I raised extra funding via increases to the local policing precept.

“This enabled Sussex Police to invest in new technology, modernise its systems and recruit and train additional contact centre staff. The results of that investment are clear to see.

“Sussex Police has consistently led the country for 999 call-handling performance, answering over 98% of emergency calls within 10 seconds, with an average answer time of just four seconds.

“Receiving this national award is further recognition of the remarkable progress that has been made and it reflects Sussex Police’s commitment to being there for the public when they are needed most.

“We must never forget that behind every call is a person who needs help, reassurance or protection.

“While this achievement deserves celebration, I will continue to hold Sussex Police to account to ensure these high standards are maintained and that residents continue to receive the excellent service they deserve.”