Police are urging the public to remember a simple two-digit code that could save lives when making a silent 999 call. Cambridgeshire Constabulary revealed they received 40 silent 999 calls in May alone where immediate attendance was required, many from victims of domestic abuse unable to speak.
Many people mistakenly believe that staying silent after dialling 999 will automatically bring help. However, the force stressed that callers must press 55 when prompted by the automated system to confirm the call is genuine. This allows operators to track the caller's location and dispatch assistance.
In a Facebook post, Cambridgeshire Constabulary said: 'Pressing 55 after calling 999 lets police operators know that you need help but are in a situation where you can't talk. Tapping in 55 lets the 999 operator know your call is genuine, and they will try to track your location.'
The advice echoes a previous campaign by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which highlighted that around 20,000 silent 999 calls are made daily across the UK. Of these, about 5,000 are transferred to the Silent Solution system, and the 55 instruction is detected around 50 times a day.
The IOPC warned: 'It is not true that police will automatically attend if you make a silent 999 call. Callers need to listen and respond to questions and instructions, including by coughing or tapping the handset if possible, or if using a mobile phone, once prompted by the automated Silent Solution system, pressing 55.'
Former IOPC Regional Director Catrin Evans added: 'It is always best to actually speak to a police call handler if you can, even if by whispering, but if you are putting yourself or someone else in danger by making a sound, there is something you can do. Make yourself heard by coughing, tapping the handset or once prompted by the automated system, by pressing 55.'
