Press 55 to inform police of a genuine emergency
- By Elaine Bird
- 03 December 2019
- North-West Norfolk
- Share:

Silent Solution is a system that alerts Norfolk Police to an emergency when a 999 mobile caller is too scared to speak.
Norfolk Police is supporting 16 Days of Action raising awareness against violence by promoting Silent Solutions - where victims of violence who are too scared to speak can call 55 to alert an emergency.
The 16 days of awareness have been running since White Ribbon Day last Monday (25 November) and aims to “Create a future without male violence against women”. The focus this year is to engage with young men and boys in particular.
As part of the 16 Days of Action, Norfolk Police will be using social media to raise awareness and to concentrate on a wide range of violence in all its forms.
One of which is the Constabulary’s support of a national campaign aiming to raise awareness of a system to help people alert police when in imminent danger but unable to speak.
The ‘Make Yourself Heard’ campaign, was originally launched by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) earlier this year with support from the family of murder victim Kerry Power, Women’s Aid and the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Prior to her murder, Kerry made a silent 999 call thinking she would not need to speak or make a noise for police to send assistance. Sadly, her call was terminated and was not put through to the police control room because she did not know how to use the ‘Silent Solution’ system.
This ‘Silent Solution’ system, which is used by Norfolk Constabulary enables a 999 mobile caller who is too scared to make a noise, or speak, to press 55 when prompted – to inform police they are in a genuine emergency.
Lorne Green, Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, said: “This is a vital service and yet it is not sufficiently known about. Pressing 55 and using the ‘silent solution’ could literally save a person’s life. Through my office and via the police I want to see this service promoted as widely as possible to ensure everyone who might one day need it knows about it.”