Crossed wires at police station
Concern over new way of handling calls
Cumbernauld Crime Prevention Panel are concerned about the new telephone answering stystem at the town's police station. Anyone trying to contact them by telephone is now having to go through a call handling centre in Motherwell.
Panel chairman John Stewart said: "I have received complaints from community groups, neighbourhood watch schemes and individuals from all over Cumbernauld, all expressing problems with trying to contact the police.
"It seems it is constantly engaged and in some cases, people have been trying unsuccessfully for days."
The News and Chronicle dialled the usual switchboard number for Cumbernauld police station and asked for Superintendent Elliot McKenzie.
The woman who answered our call did not know who he was or where he was based.
When we did catch up with him he said: "Early last week, with little warning, I was informed that the switchboard was being transferred to a central call centre in Motherwell.
"However, I am now hearing about a number of problems in the transferring of calls and am considering bringing in new protocol.
"It was built to streamline our first point of contact with the public but is obviously experiencing teething problems.
"This is probably due to the call centre opening prematurely and as such the other facilities to back it up aren't in place.
"I hope as everyone becomes more comfortable with the new system, things become easier."
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Weather for Cumbernauld
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: North
