Police response following 101 report?

[Backwithaquestion]

Can anyone tell me what is the usual response time following 101 calls?
I’m not going to give details of backstory here as there’d be too much to go into, but I have contacted police several times about a neighbour who has been harassing me for a while. PCSOs have visited twice. The help they’ve provided has been very limited and following their last visit he has become bolder again, inviting himself into my garden and being verbally abusive. I have recorded two incidents of this and called 101 again after the last one on Friday. I also asked if a warranted officer rather than PCSOs could address the issues. I was told that someone would call.
So far I’ve heard nothing back.

Do you live on your own?

Thank you for answering!
Yes, I do.

I live on my own too. I have a neighbour problem and I started out on 101. I have now been told by the Police that if my neighbour is verbally abusive, threatening, in any way aggressive or comes on to my property, I am to call 999. Single persons should not have to be in fear of their lives or intimidated by others. By dialling 999, the problem will be escalated and warranted officers will attend the call. Please do this if you are seriously worried about your neighbours behaviour towards you.

I really hope it doesn’t come to that.
However, it’s already reached a stage where I dread leaving the house as I never know what weirdness he’ll be up to.
I also check really often if other neighbours are around, as I have told them what’s going on and they are really supportive. It’s horrible to have to rely on them like that though. Also horrible having to keep a phone nearby all the time.
I wish the police would address this properly.

And I’m sorry to hear you’re going through something similar @RedDiamond.
Thank you for responding though. The anxiety that this causes is so horrible.
Can I ask, in your situation, do you get low level harassment? Because that’s what this bloke does: threatening, but not quite enough for it to be an emergency. Oh, and quietly so, too, if that makes sense.

When the problem has been there, it has not been low level. Bashing my door in, verbally abusive and physically threatening. At the moment there is sort of a "truce", I ignore them and they ignore me. I learnt to "grow a pair" and refuse to let them intimidate me anymore which I think has perplexed them - bullies never like it if you don't raise to their bait. They are very entitled people and feel the world owes them a living and cannot believe that even when they act illegally, it is not their fault. I hasten to add, nothing to do with Covid reporting!! This has been happening for a few years and for the first few, I did not report them until one day I snapped and thought enough was enough. I do have Police support which is very reassuring.

Yep.
This one behaved himself for a while, but isn’t doing so any more.
The PCSOs who visited didn’t look at footage I have and also misunderstood relevant law about boundaries, CCTV use, etc.
I’m wondering now whether following my last report police will do anything at all.
When he’s bashed at the front door recently I have answered from an upstairs window as I don’t want him in my face. Perhaps I shouldn’t have answered at all, but I worry for the safety of my car, which he’s apparently threatened to damage and possibly has damaged in the past.
My worry is that the police will simply fail to address this.

Sorry but without knowing the full details its impossible to say what will happen next. Neighbour issues are notoriously difficult to manage/police especially when its one word against anothers. If there are criminal offences they are often low level and the fact they've sent a PCSO would suggest thats true of this case means they unlikely to take any action. I do hope I'm wrong however.

I had awful neighbours on two addresses. It ended in 999 calls. 101 is a non emergency line. You will keep getting out to the back of the queue. When my ex broke the restraining order and was outside my house I called 101. I should have called 999. They took a week to come to me and told me I needed to prove he was there. So I got a camera for the next occasion. Made sure it only pointed at my property. Put a tiny cctv sign on the door.
Record everything. Keep reporting. If you feel intimidated definitely call 999

@jdoejnr1 - this is the problem: I have recorded evidence and the PSCOs didn’t look at it.
@Yellowcakestand, yes, I now have a phone set to record every time I leave the house. Including when I go into my own garden. It’s exhausting.

Are you asking about how long it takes for someone to attend the scene? If so, it makes no difference whether you call 101 or 999 your call will be logged initially as an incident (some incidents fit the category of crime incident). As well as categorising your incident so in your case Nuisance or ASB they will also put a grade on it from 1 to 5. There are then National expected ‘to scene’ response times for each of those grades. I’m sure they will be available online somewhere but I think the longest one is a few days.

Sorry just re-read your post. Shouldn’t come on here when I’m half asleep. I think those response times can include being called back as well as scene attendance.

@LemonadeFromLemons - I just checked grades, so you answered my question! Thank you!

You need to record your complaint with the local police inspector by letter or email. PCSOS are not police and have no powers to deal with anything so don’t be fobbed off. PCSOs are absolutely powerless ( quite rightly) and shouldn’t be asked to deal with actual crime and harassment offences. PCSOs are just eyes and ears of actual police but are often used to fob off members of the public and have zero investigation powers, hence the the lack of cctv investigation.

@Finfintytint, that is exactly how it’s been with the PCSOs.
And that’s what I’m worrying about.
Thank you for the advice about contacting an inspector directly. I guess that’s what I have to do.

PCSOs are not powerless.

@TheChippendenSpook are you able to say a bit more?
I ask because in this situation, the role that the PCSOs said they had didn’t correspond to the action they took - and neither of those corresponded with on line descriptions of their roles (both for PCSOs generally and for those specific PCSOs).

There is a list of powers that PCSOs can be given and it is up to each individual force which powers they give to their PCSOs. In my force PCSOs can and do view (and collect/seize) cctv footage. It might be a case of them not having the powers to do that where you live. It is frustrating but definitely do phone 101/999 when an incident with your neighbour is occurring.

If you you phone 999 it won't definitely be put through as a serious incident, it could be downgraded (some forces use cat 1 etc and some use lettered gradings) and likewise if you phone 101, the incident can be upgraded.

Based on what you've said I think you have enough for a harrassment arrest quite easily OP. Go into the police station with all you have and sit and wait, itll likely be similar to A and E in that you might be there hours but the front desk officer will sort it out x

And yes 999 the next time he starts