THE non-emergency contact number for Hampshire Constabulary (0845 045 45 45), which has been in use for the past two years, is now the only non-emergency number for the force.
Although individual police station numbers have continued to work over the past two years, being automatically re-routed to the force's centralised switchboard, they were discontinued at the beginning of December.
Project manager, Inspector Steve Evans, said: "This number should be used for non-emergencies and routine inquiries for all stations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
"Use of the number is already helping to reduce the load on the 999 system.
"It should be reserved for real emergencies."
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