Call handler praised for her professionalism in helping Folkestone man

A call handler and dispatcher in Kent Police’s Force Control Room has been praised for her professionalism after receiving a call from a man who said he wished to harm himself.

Alise Ohohonina received the call shortly before 6am on 27 December 2021. The caller, a man from Folkestone, said he was in the process of harming himself. Alise spent an hour on the phone to the man, until officers were able to reach him. He was then placed into the care of medical professionals.

Chief Inspector Lee Cheesman said: ‘This was the first time that Alise dealt with a call of this nature and she approached the situation with professionalism and compassion. Her efforts prevented the situation from escalating and allowed the patrol to reach the man safely.

‘Our call handlers deal with challenging situations on a day-to-day basis and I am constantly impressed at the high standard of their work and their genuine desire to do everything they can to help people when they need it most.’

To find out more about working in the Kent Police control room click here.