Police following up on 111 callers impacted by fault

Police are following up on callers who were unable to reach emergency Police services on 111 this morning.

At approximately 8.22am this morning, all calls to 111 emergency services were being connected as normal, following an intermittent fault impacting on 111 calls in the hours before.

The fault is though to be associated with a Telecom Exchange in Auckland.

Communications Centre National Manager, Superintendent Andy McGregor, says Police are in the process of contacting approximately 20 people who attempted to phone Police during this time.

"Our priority right now is to do all we can to get back to those people who couldn't get through, assess their situation and see if they still require Police help.

"We'd also ask people who may not have been able to get through earlier to call us back and update us in their circumstances."

Superintendent McGregor says the Northern Police Communications Centre - which primarily services the Turangi north - worked quickly to publicise alternative contact numbers once the fault became known.

"We certainly appreciate the media's assistance with this, and it appears people have followed this advice based on increased calls to the alternative publicised number and *555."

Police will be debriefing the situation with Telecom to work through what happened and what can be done in the future to minimise the risk of a similar fault impacting on emergency services.

"Obviously, time is of the essence on a 111 emergency situation. It's our aim to answer our calls as quickly as we can, and than get the appropriate Police response underway equally quickly."

ENDS

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