August 18, 2016 12.32 pm This story is over 90 months old

Sacked: Lincolnshire G4S police staff made fake 999 calls to boost stats

Control room staff who made fake 999 calls to improve on their own call handling performance rates have been dismissed following an investigation by Lincolnshire Police’s anti-corruption unit. Allegations that control room staff made repeat 999 ‘test calls’ to better their perceived performance resulted in the suspension of five members of staff working with Lincolnshire Police…

Control room staff who made fake 999 calls to improve on their own call handling performance rates have been dismissed following an investigation by Lincolnshire Police’s anti-corruption unit.

Allegations that control room staff made repeat 999 ‘test calls’ to better their perceived performance resulted in the suspension of five members of staff working with Lincolnshire Police in May.

Two of the five members of staff resigned during the investigation process and two people were dismissed on conclusion of the case at the end of last month.

One member of staff has returned to work after it was agreeing there had been no wrong doing on their part, G4S confirmed.

G4S stated that at no point did the calls put members of the public or other front line police officers at risk when they took over investigations.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) also reviewed the evidence and determined there were no grounds to pursue legal prosecution.

All the staff implicated were former Lincolnshire Police employees who transferred to G4S in 2012, when the contract between the private firm and the force was agreed.

Call performance data for November and December 2015 showed a steep increase in the number of ‘test calls’ being made, against a decline in the percentage of calls (when discounting test calls) answered within the 10 second target.

Click to view in detail.

Click to view in detail.

Lincolnshire Police declined to comment after being contacted by The Lincolnite, and a G4S spokesperson said no statement would be made by the company at the time of publishing.