Cambridgeshire Constabulary
Ethics Playing Cards
Copyright © 2025 Compass Ethics
3
A regular caller who has been waiting for a mental health assessment for months, has reported a trespasser in her garden for the 3rd time this evening. There was no sign of anyone the previous two times. How do you deal with this call?
Case Studies
- You know that other agencies are just as stretched as you are, but how do you maintain a professional attitude when the police are repeatedly called to deal with a non-police matter because there is no-one else available?
Discussion
- How does Call Handling get the balance right between warning colleagues about a situation or providing essential background info, without colouring their attitudes? A THRIVE assessment (threat, harm, risk, investigation, vulnerability, and engagement) will need to be made.
- Police Officers and Police Staff: How would you approach completing a THRIVE risk assessment in a situation where you cannot hear or understand the caller, but there may be a concern for welfare? What steps do you take to notify the public on what action will be taken in response to their calls?
- Managers: How does your force make sure call handlers are able to identify vulnerabilities? What training does your force provide to call handlers on the action they should take when a caller stops engaging? How does your force make sure call handlers are aware of areas of APP relevant to call handling?
- Compassion fatigue is a very real issue with situations that are often repeated. This is true for those handling calls just as much as it is for those who are deployed. This can be dangerous as, even though it is not intentional, it can stop you from treating individuals with the respect that they are due, even if you have a process to follow. This is likely to be exacerbated by understaffing and less time/attention available for each call.
- Regarding vulnerable people – is it a mental health issue rather than a policing matter? How do you know? What about if there is no support or no other agency available?
Just because someone has mental health challenges, doesn’t mean that they are making up an incident. There can be additional pressure on staff due to limited resources and lack of training. This is compounded where other services and agencies are supposed to have the lead for a particular issue, but don’t have the staff or resources to deal with it.
Guidance will say you have to treat everyone equally. Is there a case for treating people equitably (i.e. looking at the resources you have available and adapting to those who need it most due to their vulnerability rather than just the same)?