112.......................let People Know

[Al Milton]

I do not know if this is a spoof or not, so please don't shoot the messenger .

The wife received this message at home, I am wondering whether any of our fine boys in blue (Daz?) on this site can verify whether this is a true fact that is little publicised (useful to know), or just another useless piece of spam doing the circuit.

 

Here it is in it's entirity:

 

A bit of useful advice - verified by the Dorset Police.

The number does work from a mobile.

 

It was the Saturday before New Year and it was about 1.00pm in the afternoon, and Lauren, aged 19, was driving to visit a friend, when an UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put its lights on. Lauren's parents have 4 children (of various ages) and have always told them never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather wait until they get to a service station, etc.

So Lauren remembered her parents' advice, and telephoned 112 from her mobile phone.

This connected her to the police dispatcher: she told the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing blue light on his rooftop behind her and that she would not pull over right away but wait until she was in a service station or busy area.

The dispatcher checked to see if there was a police car where she was and there wasn't and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back-up already on the way..

Ten minutes later 4 police cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.

One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind..

They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground........the man was wanted for various crimes.

I never knew that bit of advice, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you do not have to pull over for an UNMARKED car..

Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a 'safe' place.

You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them eg, put on your hazard lights) or call 112 like Lauren did.

Too bad the mobile phone companies don't give you this little bit of wonderful information.

So now it's your turn to let your friends know about 112 (112 is an emergency number on your mobile that takes you straight to the police because 999 does not work if you have no signal).

This is good information that I did not know!

 

Please pass on to all your friends, especially any females.

 

As far as I am aware, 112 uses a system called triangulation so they can also pinpoint exactly where you are phoning from.

[SSSLINE]

quick google reveals -

 

In the UK all 999 or 112 calls go through to emergency operators of either British Telecom (BT), Cable & Wireless (C&W), Kingston Communications or Global Crossing (RailNet). This depends on which phone network the caller is using. These operators ask the caller which emergency service is required and then connects the caller to the control room of the service requested in the callers geographic region. Virtually all the emergency service control rooms have access to translators if the caller does not speak english.

 

* 112 is the single emergency telephone number for the European Union.

* European citizens in distress situations should be able to call the phone number 112 and get through to the emergency services. Thus, anyone has to remember only one number to guarante a quicker and more efficient intervention.

* The purpose of SOS 112 Europe is to attract as many emergency service participants as possible, with the intention to share information and to provide the larger public with information about different emergency services in Europe. Especially the ones connected to the single European emergency call number 112.

* Please participate by sending your comments, your information and your links to europe@sos112.info

* SOS 112 Europe runs by a Swedish initiative.

[Andi]

According to one of the Police camera action type programmes on tv last night, there was a chap running from

an unmarked robbery squad car and they said they couldnt do him for it because it was unmarked

 

Andi

[Guest The Modfather]

Bloody hell Al, your daughter had a lucky escape there. The good thing is that she used her head and kept cool, and rang the police.

There is some uncertainties with 112 and what it does. Basically I've been aware that it is a better way of contacting police and OTHER 999 services, and for some reason it gets answered straight away, and does not make you wait in a queue. How it works and if it is direct to police i'm not sure.

 

The info regarding any unmarked police car is thus: It can request you to pull over, HOWEVER it must have an officer in uniform inside.

Any police officer knows that discretion is required when stopping a veh whilst he/she is in an unmarked car, and must allow for the driver to find a suitable place to stop, if they feel safe to do so. The driver would not be done for failing to stop, but if you stick your boot down when the rollers go on, the case may be different It is better practice for unmarked cars to request a marked car to do the actual stop, and then any officer (in or out of uniform) can deal with the driver once the car is stopped. Unless that is they require a breath test, which only a uniformed officer can conduct the actual test, but the plain clothed officer can make the request.

 

The below is taken from a police website for your info:

 

An unmarked police car can stop vehicles, but it must contain a constable who MUST be in uniform in order to carry out the stop.

 

If a car flashing for you to pull over or stop is unmarked, unless you are 100% certain it is the police, do not stop. Drive steadily to the nearest public place (for example a petrol station where they are open till late, a police station or somewhere there are a lot of people) and then stop. If you are in a relatively deserted area, as a last resort, consider looking for a house that is obviously occupied and pull into the driveway. (You can always apologise to the householder afterwards.)

 

Try and signal that you have acknowledged the request to stop and indicate the action you are taking (put your flashers on or signal by pointing from the driver's window etc.). Don't drive off at great speed making the police think you are trying to get away.

 

Keep the doors locked until you are happy it is the police. Have your mobile at hand just in case. You can ask to see a warrant card, which should carry a name and photograph, through the closed window.

 

Incidentally, if you are suspected of drink/drugs driving none of these actions would invalidate an officer giving you a preliminary screening test as you have only temporarily interrupted your journey and are still driving for the purposes of that law.

 

 

Just re-read your post Al, it appears that it wasn't your daughter, sorry.

Darren

[Guest MarkB]

my wife was always told by my friend, at the time a CI in the south yorkshire police, wether the vehicle is marked or not, if you feel at all nervous about stopping do what has been mentioned above. Any bobby worth their salt wiil understand the reasoning.

 

just to add, very recently a group of asian guys had fitted grille lights, siren and h/light flashers to an old renault, the were pulling taxi's over and robbing them.. this was in Sheffield.

 

 

Must say tho, iused to fit lighting and sound to emergency vehicles and there is no regulations to buying the said equipment, the LAS are cutting back on spending so much that when they sell their old ambulances they can't be arsed to decommission correctly, i tested one a couple of months back which was being used for catering purposes and all the equipment was still on board and in full operation, the only thing LAS had done was whip a tiny layer of paint of over the light pods..... and i mean tiny

[Al Milton]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for the replies, the 112 number isn't a spoof, as I first suspected.

 

Daz, clear clarification on the 'stopping' issue, thanks . I for one wasn't aware about an unmarked car having to have a uniformed officer inside!

 

Cheers

Al

[Guest The Modfather]

An officer HAS to be in uniform to stop any vehicle, including aircraft, ships (would like to see that one!) trains and motor vehicles. Uniform means literally that, as long as the officer has the image of being a police officer that will suffice. He/she does not need to wear a hat, as some still believe

Merely flashing their warrant card does not constitute a legal requirement to stop.

You do not have to stop for a marked car either, providing as I said before, you have good reason to believe that your life may be threatened by an imposter. Signal that you are aware of their presence, and stop somewhere where there are other people around. A bus stop is a good place, depending obviously the time of day, but petrol garages even better as they are all CCTV'd and most now have ANPR.

[harvs]

Wikipedia says that the 112 numbers are connected to the 999 circuits - so there's no difference between them...

[Guest pwlcarz]

I do not know if this is a spoof or not, so please don't shoot the messenger .

The wife received this message at home, I am wondering whether any of our fine boys in blue (Daz?) on this site can verify whether this is a true fact that is little publicised (useful to know), or just another useless piece of spam doing the circuit.

 

Here it is in it's entirity:

 

A bit of useful advice - verified by the Dorset Police.

The number does work from a mobile.

 

It was the Saturday before New Year and it was about 1.00pm in the afternoon, and Lauren, aged 19, was driving to visit a friend, when an UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put its lights on. Lauren's parents have 4 children (of various ages) and have always told them never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather wait until they get to a service station, etc.

So Lauren remembered her parents' advice, and telephoned 112 from her mobile phone.

This connected her to the police dispatcher: she told the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing blue light on his rooftop behind her and that she would not pull over right away but wait until she was in a service station or busy area.

The dispatcher checked to see if there was a police car where she was and there wasn't and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back-up already on the way..

Ten minutes later 4 police cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.

One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind..

They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground........the man was wanted for various crimes.

I never knew that bit of advice, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you do not have to pull over for an UNMARKED car..

Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a 'safe' place.

You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them eg, put on your hazard lights) or call 112 like Lauren did.

Too bad the mobile phone companies don't give you this little bit of wonderful information.

So now it's your turn to let your friends know about 112 (112 is an emergency number on your mobile that takes you straight to the police because 999 does not work if you have no signal).

This is good information that I did not know!

 

Please pass on to all your friends, especially any females.

 

As far as I am aware, 112 uses a system called triangulation so they can also pinpoint exactly where you are phoning from.

 

 

Not sure I understand - if you haven't got a signal (for 999) how does 112 work?

 

I may be wrong but my understanding was all mobile phones are capable of "triangulation" or a least a variant in simple terms. It's how Google maps work on iphones that don't have GPS - the system approximates your location depending on the signal strength of the various cells on your phone. On the other hand, your mobile phone emits a signal which is picked up by the various cell masts, hence the mobile phone provider can tell (roughly) where you are. But if you havn't got a signal how does this work?

 

Not complaining about 112, just curious as to how it can work. Does anyone know?

[Guest pwlcarz]

Al

 

Just seen some further research on this and you were right to be suspiscious, although it does contain some truth.

 

112 is the EU Universal Emergency Phone number, adopted in a Council of Europe directive dated Feb 2009. However in the UK it runs in parallel with 999. Both numbers being automatically directed to the emergency operator. So you can use either number with exactly the same result (for anyone going to Le Mans or Nurburgring the 112 number may be useful but I'm told most GSM phones recognise either number and will divert to the appropriate emergency services call centre).

 

However, ALL mobile phones need a signal to work. No signal, no emergency call.

 

There was a spoof email which suggested that in emergency where there was no mobile signal, 112 calls could be diverted to a satellite phone system. This is mis-leading. 1. these phones rely on totally different technology from regular mobiles. 2. they also require 'line of site' communication.

 

Copy of extract from research paper below.

 

Commentary:

This widely circulating email contains misinformation and should not be taken seriously. The message claims that dialling the emergency number 112 on a mobile phone will get through to emergency services even if there is no signal available. According to the email, a call to 112 "will be diverted to a satellite signal" in areas where there is no signal such as the London Underground train system. However, these claims are completely unfounded. A press release on the Transport for London website dismisses the message as a "misleading spam e-mail".