Heartbreaking: Bengaluru Police Control Room Overwhelmed by Crank Calls, Even from NIMHANS Patients
In Bengaluru, the Namma 112 helpline at the Police Commissioner’s office, a part of the city’s Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), is grappling with a surge in crank calls, including those from mentally-disturbed individuals at NIMHANS. Staff report that patients, often well-educated and proficient in English, seek someone to talk to, unaware that their calls are inappropriate. Staff members have to gently inquire if the caller is a patient and request attendants to prevent such calls from recurring.
Between January 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the outsourced control room received 786 crank calls, with many being repeat offenders. Despite adding such numbers to a crank call list, permanent blocking is not an option since Namma 112 functions as an emergency helpline. Calls sometimes continue for up to 12 minutes.
Senior citizens constitute another group of lengthy callers, often seeking guidance on dealing with problems or simply wanting to converse. Complaints about loud music are common, with callers sometimes requesting illegal actions like cutting power supplies to establishments. "We must inform them that the law allows music until 10 p.m.," a staff member explained.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Command Centre, Kshama Mishra, noted the need for continuous training of staff to handle such calls professionally and disconnect appropriately. Improvement in callers’ behavior is necessary from their end, she added.
The call center also receives trivial complaints, such as missing branded shoes, valued between ₹20,000 and ₹25,000, prompting police visits to prevent future thefts. There are even requests from parents to reprimand children refusing to attend school, believing that intervention by a police officer would scare the children into compliance. Complaints range from police inefficacy to traffic jams and bribery, even including grievances from suspended police personnel.
The staff urge the public to maintain etiquette and make calls only in genuine emergencies, emphasizing that crank calls could prevent timely responses to real crises.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/police-control-room-struggles-with-crank-calls-some-even-from-nimhans-patients-in-bengaluru/article68366335.ece
Category : Bengaluru
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