Celebrating the voices of Lincolnshire Police

International Control Room Week runs between 23 to 29 October this year and gives us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the voices of Lincolnshire Police – our call takers.

The FCR, based at Police Headquarters in Nettleham, is the beating heart of the force. The control room with its team of call takers are the first point of contact for victims of crime, answering non-emergency 101 and emergency 999 calls.

Our call takers, along with the controllers and supervisors within the FCR operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are dedicated to providing the very best service to the public of Lincolnshire. 

Lindsey, who has been working in the FCR for the past 18 months, says she feels “great pride in wearing the uniform”.

“The Control Room makes me feel like I’m helping society and I can honestly say that some people in the world are safer due to the job that I do.”

“People call us when they are in their darkest moments. To be able to help them and help to keep our officers safe in sometimes dangerous situations and make their jobs easier gives massive job satisfaction.”

Lindsey, FCR Call Taker

Now a year into the role, Laura Frostick explains why she enjoys her role as a call taker.

“We are the first point of contact from a member of the public in need of our help. The force simply can’t work without us, which is why our role is so important.

“It’s a different challenge every day. Taking emergency calls seems daunting, and I will be honest I was scared at putting people’s lives into my hands, but I have learned that my hands are safe, caring, and compassionate.”

Laura Frostick, FCR Call Taker

With 10 years under his belt, Supervisor Calum Dunn recalls when he first joined the FCR as a call taker.

“Like everybody else, I started as a call taker. I remember there being a steep learning curve and there’s a lot thrown at you in the beginning. Knowing what is and isn’t an offence is a huge part of it. You have to be prepared to deal with any incident at any given time.

Calum Dunn, FCR Supervisor

“You have to keep people safe without actually being there. You have to try to keep people calm and composed to manage their needs, but you also have to think about police operational needs like securing evidence, that kind of thing.

As a Supervisor, Calum is responsible for managing the welfare of the staff in the control room.

Calum says it’s a challenging role but the fact that they have to be ready for anything makes it an exciting one too.

Head of Operations for the Force Control Room Mike Modder-Fitch said: “Our team are often the first point of call for those facing a crisis. Whether that be they are the victim of an assault, domestic abuse, or road traffic collision all the way through to ringing us with information on appeals we have put out, they have to listen to the information they are being given, assess the risks, and make crucial decisions around what response we might need to give.

“As well as that, our team also dispatch officers, listen out to keep them safe, and make sure when we are reviewing real time information about high harm suspects so we can keep the public safe.

“Nobody ever calls us with good news and those dealing with these reports are real people, parents, grandparents, siblings, friends who work diligently to keep people safe from harm, and help those in need, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

“They are truly the unsung heroes of policing, and we celebrate our teams this week recognising the incredible work they do each day to support the public of Lincolnshire.”