Police force improves call response times

Warwickshire Police has improved response times to emergency and priority calls to an "acceptable standard", the police inspectorate has said.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the force had made "significant progress" since its last inspection and it was closing the cause of concern issued in June 2025.

The force aims to attend emergency calls within 20 minutes, priority incidents within two hours and lower priority cases within 18 hours.

Acting chief constable David Gardner said: "We're pleased that the improvements we've made to response times have been recognised and we're committed to continuing to improve."

He added: "I'm grateful to all officers and colleagues who have been working tirelessly to provide the best service possible to the people of Warwickshire."

Inspectors previously found that the force met its attendance times in only 33 of 68 relevant cases - and informed callers of delays in only 15 of 31 relevant cases.

The force said it had made and sustained improvements to its ability to respond to priority and urgent call outs since June 2025.

A spokesperson added that in 2026, officers had answered 94% of 999 calls within 10 seconds and attended 90% of emergency calls within the target of 20 minutes.

"We also dropped our average overall response time down from over 16 minutes to 13 minutes and under," they added.

Inspectors said the force also had an efficient process for carrying out updated risk assessments of incidents that it did not attend within its expected time frames.

The force tracks incidents it cannot attend on time, with most victims recontacted and updated, with a quality assurance process in place to ensure appropriate updates.

His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Kathryn Stone said she was "pleased to see sufficient progress" against the cause of concern.

She described a "positive atmosphere" in the control room and fewer instances of stress-related ill health.

"We encourage the force to maintain its focus on sustainable progress," she added in a letter.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe welcomed confirmation that the cause of concern was now closed and said it was a "positive step forward".

"It is important that these improvements are sustained, so people across Warwickshire can be confident they will receive a timely response and be kept informed when they need help," he said.

"I will continue to monitor performance closely to ensure this progress is maintained."

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