TECHNICAL problems with a new phone system at Hertfordshire Constabulary have been blamed for response times to 999 calls dipping below target.

Staff at the force contact room aim to answer 90 per cent of emergency calls within 10 seconds.

But, in the 13 weeks to the start of June, 88 per cent of the 38,075 calls to 999 were answered in that time frame.

The average time to answer a call was seven seconds, compared to five seconds in March.

Assistant chief constable Chris Miller said: “We introduced some new technology in May, which ultimately will help us to improve performance. However, technical problems linked to the introductions meant that performance slipped.

“I would like to reassure the public we are working all out to address these issues and that improvements and progress have already been made.”