POLICE are failing to attend a quarter of emergency calls in the county within time limits set out by the Government.

In a pledge launched in January, Thames Valley Police promised an officer would attend emergencies in towns within 15 minutes and villages in 20 minutes.

But figures for April 1 to August 31 this year show police in Oxfordshire reached an emergency within 15 minutes only 73.5 per cent of the time and within 20 minutes 83.4 per cent of the time.

Chief Supt Brendan O’Dowda, right, the county’s most senior officer, said he was encouraged by the response times. He said: “These are not time targets, these are times we aim to get to the incident as part of the pledge.

“I’m very pleased when I look at the percentages.”

All calls are risk assessed and if the police are outside the time set out in the pledge it is often because the offender is not at the scene, Chief Supt O’Dowda added.

He said: “We aim to get there as soon as possible but also aim to get there safely.

“There will be occasions where we don’t get there within the time but for all those times when we don’t hit the response times we risk assess the incidents and we will make sure we are not putting anybody at risk.”

Although police stress the pledge is not a target, response times are monitored by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, which will release a report comparing forces across the country next month.

The pledge was launched nationwide with an ad campaign, billboards and posters.

The Police Federation, which represents police officers, believes constables do not consider the pledge when attending an emergency, while a Thames Valley Police Authority poll revealed 87 per cent of people in the region had never heard of the pledge.

The 10-point pledge also promises neighbourhood officers will spend 80 per cent of their time visibly policing on the beat.

Figures provided by Thames Valley Police show officers spent 99.3 per cent of their time on neighbourhood duties – but not how much time is spent away from computers and paperwork.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We expect Thames Valley, and all other forces, to meet all 10 pledge commitments wherever possible and to always explain to the public why they could not in other cases.”

mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk