Contact us: 999 or 101?
Should I dial 999 or 101?
Dial 999 if there is an emergency, such as:
• A threat to life.
• A crime that is currently in progress.
• Any other serious incident requiring immediate police response.
For all other enquiries and non-emergency matters, please call 101 or use the “Contact Us” section of the Bedfordshire Police website.
Bedfordshire Police will always prioritise 999 emergency calls over 101 non-emergency calls. This may sometimes result in longer waiting times for 101 calls, but it ensures that people who need urgent assistance receive help as quickly as possible.
Our response to every contact is person-centered, with public safety at the heart of all decision-making.
Remember: in an emergency, always call 999.
When should you call 101?
101 is the police non-emergency telephone number. You should use it to report incidents, seek advice, or provide information when an immediate police response is not required.
Knowing when to call 101 instead of 999 helps ensure that emergency resources remain available for those who need them most.
Calls to 101 are handled 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You should call 101 to:
• Report a crime that has already happened, such as theft, criminal damage or a burglary where the offender is no longer at the scene.
• Provide information or intelligence about criminal activity or suspicious behavior.
• Report a missing person whom you do not believe to be in immediate danger.
• Obtain updates relating to a previously reported crime or incident.
• Report minor road traffic collisions that do not involve injuries or road blockages.
When not to call 101:
• If someone is in immediate danger, a crime is taking place, or urgent police assistance is required, call 999.
• For matters that are not police responsibilities, such as council services, utility issues or medical emergencies, contact the appropriate organisation directly.
If you dial 999 by mistake, please stay on the line and let us know that everything is okay. You will not be in any trouble – we understand that accidents happen.
When a 999 call is abandoned before the caller speaks to an operator, a number of safeguarding checks may need to be completed to ensure the caller is safe. These checks can be time-consuming and may divert resources from those who need urgent assistance.
You can reduce the risk of accidental 999 calls by:
• Locking your phone before placing it in a pocket or bag.
• Familiarising yourself with your phone’s emergency call features.
• Keeping your phone out of reach of young children.
When you contact Bedfordshire Police by telephone or online, your enquiry is received by our dedicated Contact Operators within the Force Control Room. Calls are automatically routed to the next available operator, regardless of your location within the county.
Our Contact Operators are specially trained to assess all contacts using the THRIVE+ risk assessment model, which considers Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigative Opportunities, Vulnerability, Engagement, Prevention and Intervention.
This assessment helps ensure that each person receives the most appropriate response based on their individual circumstances.
The operator will ask questions about your situation, including your location, the nature of the incident, and any relevant descriptions of people or vehicles involved.
Based on the information provided, the operator will determine the most suitable response. This may include deploying officers, providing advice, recording information for further investigation, or signposting to another agency.
If you are reporting an emergency, the first question you will be asked is: 'What is the address of your emergency?' Providing an accurate location is essential so that assistance can be sent quickly if required.
Our highly trained Contact Operators will then ask further questions relevant to the circumstances. This enables a full assessment of the situation and helps us protect the caller, responding officers, and the wider public.
If you have hearing or speech impairment, you can use the textphone service by dialing 18001 101.
In an emergency, textphone users can dial 18000, or use the Emergency SMS service by texting 999 if registered to do so.
Non-emergency contacts are prioritised according to risk, demand, and the availability of police resources.
If you are ever unsure which number to call, remember: if it is not an emergency, call 101.
You can also contact us via our Online Reporting Form
You can report non-emergency matters through our Online Reporting Form on the Bedfordshire Police website.
All online reports undergo the same THRIVE+ risk assessment process as telephone contacts and are responded to appropriately based on the information provided.
Does your issue need the police?
Our Contact Operators answer a significant number of calls every day. Many of these calls relate to matters that are not the responsibility of the police.
Before contacting us on 101 regarding a non-emergency matter, please review the information below to ensure the police are the most appropriate organisation to assist you.
There is an important distinction between criminal and civil matters. Civil matters do not usually fall within the remit of the police.
Examples of civil matters include:
• Debt disputes
• Housing disputes
• Bankruptcy
• Divorce
• Dissolution of civil partnerships
• Parental rights and responsibilities
• Adoption matters
• Road traffic collision compensation claims
For advice on civil matters, you should contact a solicitor. Citizens Advice can also provide free and impartial guidance.
Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 144 8848
Noise complaints are generally the responsibility of your local authority. Information on how to report noise nuisances can be found on your local council’s website.
If you have concerns about the welfare or wellbeing of a dog, please contact the RSPCA.
Website: www.rspca.org.uk
Your local authority dog warden is responsible for dealing with stray dogs.
Bedfordshire Police will not usually attend reports of stray dogs unless the animal is behaving in a threatening or dangerous manner.
Most parking offences are now enforced by local authorities.
Bedfordshire Police do not routinely enforce restrictions relating to yellow lines, time-limited parking bays, loading bays, disabled bays or pay-and-display parking areas.
Police officers may still act in relation to dangerous parking, unnecessary obstruction or parking offences that create a road safety risk. These matters can be reported via 101.
Reports of abandoned vehicles are the responsibility of the Local Authority. You can report this via the local authority website.
Police officers may still act in relation to vehicles that have been left in a dangerous or unnecessary obstruction that create a road safety risk. These matters can be reported via 101.
We can provide road traffic collision reports to solicitors, insurance companies, and individuals where appropriate.
Information on how to apply is available on the Bedfordshire Police website.
You can make a Subject Access Request to obtain personal information that Bedfordshire Police holds about you under data protection legislation.
Further information on how to submit a request is available on the Bedfordshire Police website.
If fly-tipping is taking place at the time of your report, call 101 and provide as much information as possible.
For incidents that have already occurred, reports should normally be made directly to the relevant local authority.
Further information is available on the GOV.UK fly-tipping reporting pages.
General drone safety advice and guidance is available from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Drone Safe.
If you witness a drone being flown in a manner that you believe is unsafe, unlawful or causing concern, please contact us on 101.
If you believe a business has acted unlawfully or unfairly, you should report the matter to Trading Standards.
This includes concerns about unsafe goods, counterfeit products, misleading descriptions, aggressive sales practices, scams, consumer rights issues, or illegal puppy trading.
For advice, contact Citizens Advice on 0800 144 8848 or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk. You can also seek guidance through your local authority.
The police do not investigate benefit fraud in most circumstances.
If you suspect benefit fraud, contact the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440 (7am–11pm, seven days a week) or report it via GOV.UK.
For advice regarding benefit payments or missing benefits, please contact the Department for Work and Pensions through the GOV.UK benefits pages.
Guidance on installing and operating private CCTV systems is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Local authorities are responsible for the operation and management of public space CCTV systems.
If you wish to request CCTV footage, you should contact the authority responsible for the system in the area where the camera is located.
Information about eligibility and how to apply for compensation can be found through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) on GOV.UK.