Norfolk’s chief constable has asked for a full independent review of the force’s control room after a 999 call was not responded to an hour before four people were found dead.
The bodies of Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, her seven-year-old sister Downreuang and Mr Kuczynski's sister-in-law Kanticha Noon, 36, were discovered at a home in Costessey on Friday morning.
An hour earlier Mr Kuczynski had called 999 from the property.
Norfolk Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office of Police Conduct in relation to the 999 call and the circumstances around Mr Kuczynski going missing in December.
Chief constable Paul Sanford said he had listened to the 999 call but could not comment on it as the IOPC is investigating all the circumstances around the handling of the tragedy.
Mr Sanford revealed that he has asked His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, who are due to carry out a routine inspection of the force next month, to extend the remit to carry out a “broader and deeper” investigation of the control room.
He hopes this will reassure the public that emergency calls are responded to in the correct manner.
READ MORE: Everything we know so far about the Costessey deaths
He added: “It will allow us to consider the right course of action.”
Mr Sanford said it was very unusual to ask for a more robust inspection.
But he added: “I recognise the significance of this incident and I am doing it because it is the right thing. The public will rightly be concerned about the effectiveness of the control room.
“I have listened to the 999 call but details of that call are now a matter for the IOPC and I cannot prejudice their inquiries by saying any more about it.”
Mr Sanford said he was eager to be as open and transparent as he could but could not prejudice the IOPC investigation.
“This is a tragic incident. I know it has caused great distress, upset and shock throughout the local community and beyond.
“My thoughts and the thoughts of all the constabulary go out to the family and all those affected. This was a truly awful incident. It must be an extraordinarily challenging time for them.
“I know the family and the public will rightly want to know whether there was an ability to prevent this tragedy, and this is a question that must be answered.”
READ MORE: Community rallies together after four deaths near Norwich
Mr Sanford said it was up to the IOPC to set out what activity they would be undertaking and the timescales under which they would be operating.
He said: “The constabulary still has a role in investigating the circumstances around the deaths and preparing information for the coroner. The focus for the IOPC will very much be on the constabulary’s response to any calls to the service.”
In response to Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie’s calls for the force to be held to account, Mr Sanford said: “The PCC has the role to hold the chief constable and the constabulary to account and that is what I expect and that is what the public expects and we welcome that accountability.”
Mr Sanford said: “We will be open, honest, transparent and act with candour in supporting the IOPC investigation. The investigation will determine if there was any culpability for any persons or the force and it is right that I allow that inquiry to be carried out without my improper interference.”
He added: “We receive thousands of phone calls every day and hundreds of 999 calls and we do not respond to them all – no force responds to every call. They should be assessed and our deployment is judged on the contents of that assessment. It is not unusual for us not to attend 999 calls but the role of the IOPC is to forensically assess our decision making.”
Mr Sanford said: “I believe we have a good and robust response to 999 calls in this force, one of the quickest in the country at answering the phone, getting our officers to people as quickly as we can with the right service. Of course, we look so carefully at this incident because of the tragic outcome but I am confident we provide the service that the public expects.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here