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Every morning, Emergency Services Times combs a significant list of sources to bring you the sector’s freshest news stories. Compiled into a single article, this daily news digest is an easy, single point of reference for emergency services news, saving you the time and effort of searching yourself. Don’t forget to bookmark this page and check back daily to stay abreast of the latest goings on in the emergency services sector.
Police Scotland warns of funding threat to 3,000 jobs
Police Scotland is warning that 3,000 officer and staff jobs are at risk without further investment from the Scottish government.
In a report due to go before the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) on Thursday, the force has asked for £128m in additional funding.
If this is not met, Police Scotland said it would look at cutting numbers. More via BBC News
UK police to trial new forensic footwear identification process
Forensic experts in the UK are developing a new system to identify criminals caught on CCTV from the shoes they are wearing.
Staffordshire University and West Yorkshire Police have teamed up to develop the system that uses 3D scanning technology to help identify the type of footwear worn by criminals. While the analysis of footwear impressions left at crime scenes is an established practice in policing, this new approach focuses on the upper part of the shoe to link offenders to a crime. More via Tech Xplore
NIFRS stops responding to automatic alarms in commercial premises without human confirmation
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) will stop responding to automatic alarms in commercial premises without human confirmation, after it revealed there were almost 10,300 false alarms across all properties last year.
In future, premises that are occupied and do not contain sleeping accommodation must verify there is a fire before contacting emergency services.
The new policy won’t impact residential settings, such as hospitals, care homes, hotels, and dwellings. More via Belfast News Letter
UK wants to enforce minimum rail services during strikes in new law
The UK government has announced the introduction of new strike laws aimed at protecting vital public services, particularly over the Christmas period. Minimum service level regulations will be implemented for rail workers, ambulance staff, and border security personnel to mitigate disruption and ensure the continuity of essential services during potential strikes.
This move aligns the UK with countries like France, Italy, Spain, and the US, where public services reliably continue during strikes. More via railtech.com
Police ride double-decker buses to spot drivers on phones
Police have been riding on the top deck of buses to spot drivers using their mobile phones.
Officers in Scarborough in North Yorkshire were able to identify people who may have been breaking the law and posing a danger to other motorists.
The information was passed to police in patrol cars, who stopped the drivers. More via BBC News
South Central Ambulance Service 111 call-wait cut to two minutes
South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) cut its average 111 call wait times to “just over two minutes” in September this year.
SCAS said it faces “a significant increase in calls” to its 999 and NHS 111 services during the winter months. As a result, average wait times for 111 calls reached a high of 40 minutes last winter.
The service has since trained more call handlers and clinicians, including GPs, to help reduce 111 response times. More via BBC News