PCC assures public that G7 will not get in the way of ‘business as usual’, despite police asking people to use online reporting to ease pressure

Police and Crime Commissioner has "assured the public" that G7 will not get in the way of "business as usual", despite police asking people to use online reporting to ease pressure around the summit. 

Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez has assured communities it’s "business as usual for local policing" as the world’s most powerful leaders descend on Carbis Bay for the G7 Summit this weekend.

PCC Alison Hernandez said: “Policing the summit is a logistical challenge and will require considerable resourcing from all areas of the force but over 5,000 additional officers have been brought in to offer public order support and specialist skills from police forces across the UK.

“These officers not only provide capacity and resilience to police the event but also help the Force maintain day-to-day standards of policing and services to communities.

“This is an event for all residents in Cornwall to experience and share, but most of all the public needs to feel safe and protected during such a high-profile event in their community.”

Commissioner Hernandez said that "public safety and the protection of life and property remains top priority" but urged the public to use the "most appropriate way contact the police at what is bound to be a very busy period".

“Plans are in place to manage the potential for heightened demand and call handling provision is a key part of preparations for G7,” she said.

“But sometimes people are confused about what is the best way to contact the police.

“So call 999 when it’s an emergency such as when a crime is in progress, when you some you suspect of committing a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.”

With additional numbers of people visiting Cornwall during the G7 Summit period, Devon & Cornwall Police are naturally expecting "additional demand on our 101 non-emergency number over the next few days" and asked people to make use of the "online channels" for non-urgent help or advice.

In a statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said: "To help us answer your queries as quickly as we can, we would ask people to make use of our online channels for non-urgent help or advice.

"Every online contact received about a policing issue will be answered by a member of our team, so whichever way people choose to contact the police, #ItsPersonal.

"Anyone wishing to contact the police with a non-emergency query or report can easily access the online methods– Webchat, Report Online and Email 101."

WebChat - dc.police.uk/webchat WebChat allows you to talk online directly with our contact centres - just the same as calling us. WebChat is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be used to ask questions, report non-urgent crime, and receive updates on existing crime.

Report Crime Online - dc.police.uk/reportcrime Report Crime Online is an easy way to report information to us or report an incident or crime. Simply record all the details on the online form then submit it via our website. Our contact centre staff will receive the form, record the crime, and provide you with a crime reference number.

Email 101 - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Email 101 to ask us a question, tell us something or report non-urgent crime. Our email service is monitored daily, and our contact centre staff will respond as soon as possible.

By using the online contact methods where possible it allows the phone lines to be kept free for those who might not have access to the internet when they need to contact us.

If you do still need to call the 101 non-emergency number, our contact centre staff are available to answer your calls day or night. We would recommend before calling that you visit our website to check the current waiting times – dc.police.uk/contact