POLICE Chief, Superintendent Chris Richards plans to create a better calls system with the introduction of the proposed new headquarters at Winsford.

The divisional commander for Congleton and Vale Royal has admitted the current phone system is clogged up - but police are determined to improve response times for emergency and non-emergency calls.

He said: "The switchboard rooms are overwhelmed with work and the wait for most callers is being caused by the number of non urgent calls and callers who do not have an extension number."

All emergency calls go through the headquarters' control room in Chester from where Winsford calls are diverted to the main divisional control room in Northwich.

Ninety per cent of calls through the headquarters' control room are still answered within 15 seconds.

Supt Richards added: "I am currently in the process of removing the extra roles that the divisional control room has to face.

"There is a light at the end of the tunnel even if it does not solve short term problems."

The police are aiming to bring in a more efficient calls system by 2003.

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