POLICE are reminding the public of the online access to the force available as well as phone calls - after handling over 38,000 calls last month.

In August, North Yorkshire Police handled 38,341 calls across their control room and front counters in their police stations.

Officers want to make the public awre of the force’s website, which can be used to contact them as an alternative to calling 101.

Commenting on the new online way to contact the force, North Yorkshire Police’s Superintendent of Customer Contact, Jason Dickson, said: “Many people don’t realise that behind every 999 and 101 call in North Yorkshire, is a dedicated team of people answering those calls and now online reports through our website, 24 hours a day. So, regardless if you call 101 or use our website to contact us, your report will be dealt with in the same way.

“Going online not only saves you having to wait in the 101 queue, which we know can sometimes be very busy, it also helps to keep our phones lines free for emergencies.

“The last thing we want is for our communities to have to wait in long queues to speak to us about non-emergency crimes and to provide information, so if you have access to the internet and if you need to contact us on 101, please consider using our website to see if your report, information or question can be dealt with much quicker – just visit the website."

From reporting non-emergency crimes, road traffic incidents, fraud or anti-social behaviour – just visit the North Yorkshire Police website, click the ‘report it’ tab and follow the options to save you calling 101.

Other things you can now use their website for instead of calling 101 include getting in touch about civil disputes or to access to their ‘thanks and complaints’ process.

Of course, in an emergency you should still always call 999, police said.

North Yorkshire Police received 9,572 999 calls last month - the highest volume compared to any previous August. The force received 14,395 101 calls - lasting on average 9 minutes and 15 seconds.