Pilot of domestic abuse experts helping in 999 call rooms begins in England | Domestic violence

Domestic abuse specialists embedded in control rooms receiving 999 emergency calls will help “create force-wide cultural change”, said Jess Phillips as the first phase of “Raneem’s law” was rolled out across England.

The new law is named in memory of Raneem Oudeh, who was killed alongside her mother, Khaola Saleem, in Solihull by Oudeh’s ex-husband, whom she had reported to the police at least seven times, as well as making four 999 calls on the night she was murdered.

An inquest found police failings “materially contributed” to their deaths.

The new policy, which will involve domestic abuse specialists working in 999 control rooms to give feedback on responses to emergency calls, is being piloted in five police forces, and could be rolled out across the whole of England and Wales by the end of the year.

The pilot is taking place in the Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Humberside forces, as well as in the West Midlands, where police handled Oudeh’s case.

Speaking at the launch event at the West Midlands police central operations hub, Nour Norris, Oudeh’s aunt and Saleem’s sister, who has been campaigning for change on their behalf, said: “I felt really overwhelmed because this is where it really took place for my niece. It’s quite emotional being here.

“But this will save people’s lives; it’s as simple as that. There is no underestimating this at all. We can’t do anything to bring them back. But their legacy, Raneem’s legacy, will live for ever. She wasn’t heard when she was alive. But through every victim, she will be heard.”

Norris previously said police showed a “dismissive attitude and a lack of understanding about domestic violence” in their dealings with Oudeh, including telling her to deal with the problem herself.

At the launch, she praised the force for “transforming their failure into something that is hopefully going to be positive”.

Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, and the MP for Birmingham Yardley, said she was “haunted” by Oudeh’s story.

“I live constantly with the feeling that I just wish that she’d called me,” she said. “I wish that I could say that what we are doing here would have changed the outcome for Raneem, but I don’t know. But the haunting of that and the activism of Nour will keep us trying.”

She said having the specialists in control rooms would create “a better service for victims”. “You can already sense a cultural shift in the team, even just the language they use to speak to people,” she said. “I think this has the opportunity to create force-wide cultural change that’s really needed.”

Domestic abuse specialists from local charities will sit at desks alongside call handlers, listening in live to 999 calls and also giving feedback on recordings of calls, providing training to staff and signposting to tailored support.

Supt Jack Hadley, the deputy head of force contact at West Midlands police, said: “I think this is a very early step to something that could transform how we deal with domestic abuse victims.

“We’ve never had a third party come in and see this part of our business before. So it is unique. It’s very transparent, very open and laying ourselves bare, if you like, for the charities to come and use their expertise to help us.”

The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “Every 30 seconds, someone calls the police about domestic abuse – over 100 people every hour seeking urgent help.

“That’s why we are determined to overhaul the police emergency response to domestic abuse, making sure that victims get the specialist support and protection they need. That must be Raneem and Khaola’s legacy.”