Approximately one in thirty calls made to 999 are inappropriate or a deliberate misuse of the system. Those are the stark statistics revealed by the MPS Central Communications Command Intelligence Unit whose role is to crack down on callers who persistently abuse the 999 system.

Working in partnership with BT and mobile phone companies, this team of dedicated officers are reminding offenders that continued misuse of the system can result in a conviction or disconnection from their telephone service provider.

On average 180,000 emergency calls per month are made to 999. Approximately 6,000 of these calls are inappropriate and a deliberate misuse of the system. Abuse of the system has a significant effect as callers use valuable resources that should be helping those that really are involved in an emergency, by blocking the emergency telephone lines and preventing officers from attending legitimate calls. Of the calls received, approximately 70% of them are repeat callers.

Calls vary from drunken/abusive calls to requests for police assistance for serious crimes, which are false, causing police to think lives are at risk, which results in officers being sent to the scene.

The average call handling time for an emergency call is approximately five minutes. Deliberate misuse calls originate from four main channels, registered landlines, unregistered mobiles and public telephones.

When a caller is identified as a persistent misuser of the emergency system, the registered phone owner will get a warning letter. If that caller continues to abuse the emergency system, the police will notify the relevant service provider and work with them to seek an appropriate solution, which can lead to arrest or disconnection of their telephone line. Each persistent caller is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Offenders can be charged with a variety of offences including causing a public nuisance, wasting police time and other offences under the Telecommunications Act. Since the introduction of the unit, warning letters have served as a deterrent to those who persistently abuse the system, however over 100 callers have progressed to disconnection by their service provider.

Commander Simon Foy, Head of the Met's Central Communications Command, said:

"Being able to offer a quick and effective response to calls for help is an integral part of policing London. The MPS is committed to ensuring that the 999 system is a priority to those who need it and reassure this commitment to all those who live, work and travel in London.

"Persistent misuse of the system has a significant effect on the service since the calls block up telephone lines, which can delay callers with a genuine emergency being connected to an operator.

"This dedicated team of officers demonstrates that the MPS will not tolerate this. If initial intervention by MPS or the phone companies does not have an affect on a persistent caller then we will take further steps including arresting and charging."