Member-only story
The Job’s Fucked
Mobile phones, police radios and an angry chief.
Nowadays, everyone has a mobile.
People need not get out their beds or up off their chairs to call the police. They simply move their right hand, punch three numbers into their mobile and their call rings through. And because they can, they do.
You would be surprised how little an irk or minor annoyance can spur people into calling the police. The 999 system (911 in the US) is there for emergencies, yet it is unbelievable what people use it for;
“I’m starving, where is the nearest kebab shop?”
“Is it safe to reheat mushroom risotto?”
“My wife won’t have sex with me.”
“I’ve lost my remote control for the telly.”
“Can monkeys eat chocolate?”
The easier it is to call the police, the more people call.
When you dial the emergency number you are put through to an anonymous person in a big call centre who, with a little luck, will direct your call to the appropriate person or department.
