The introduction of 101 as a new three-digit non-emergency contact number for the police in West Yorkshire should be welcomed.

It undoubtedly gives the public a much easier contact point than the existing 11-digit (0845) number which few people will know.

And, more importantly, it should help to reduce resources wasted on inappropriate 999 calls which are a big drain on the resources of the police and other emergency services.

Of course, it helps when people recognise what an emergency is; extreme examples of 999 calls the force has had include a dead pigeon in a garden, a snoring dog and a missing packet of rice.

Simply changing the number won’t completely eradicate these idiotic calls, but it does give people an instantly memorable alternative to 999.

After all, if you need to contact the police quickly, but it is not necessarily what would be regarded as an emergency call, how many people would remember the 11 digits? Some would undoubtedly call 999 as it is the number they know.

It is also important that people recognise what an emergency is.

For example, if somebody takes your car keys from you in the street and steals your car, that would be an emergency situation that needed urgent response. But if you returned to a car park and found your car had been stolen, it would be more appropriate to dial 101.

The force defines an emergency as a situation where there is likely to be a danger to life, use or immediate threat of violence, serious damage or serious injury.

Non-emergency calls made to 999 do put a drain on police resources and may impact on dealing with genuine urgent incidents.

So anything that may help to reduce those calls, such as the simplified number being introduced, is a welcome step.