Friday 21 May 2010

Cumbria Constabulary announces overall drop in county’s crime

Cumbria Constabulary’s year end performance figures have revealed that there were over 2,500 less victims of crime in Cumbria during 2009-10 compared to the previous year.

Overall crime in Cumbria fell by 8.8 per cent from April 2009 – March 2010 compared to the same period in 2008/09. This equates to 2,722 less victims of crime.

The figures also show that officers have successfully reduced Cumbrian communities’ top priority, anti-social behaviour, by 8.4 per cent after officers received 3,416 less calls for service from concerned residents.

In the same period, violent crime reduced by 5.6 per cent, all vehicle crime fell by 14.2 per cent and criminal damage reduced by 17.4 per cent. The Constabulary’s overall crime detection rates remain consistent at 39.5 per cent.

Chief Constable Craig Mackey said: “Our year end figures demonstrate that Cumbria Constabulary has continued to perform well which is a reflection of the quality of officers and staff who are dedicated to serving the people of Cumbria.

“I feel privileged to work in a police force that has such a high calibre of committed officers and staff who have worked incredibly hard over the last twelve months to improve the quality of life for each and every one of our communities- despite some very real challenges.

“Alongside the reduction in crime in Cumbria, I’m encouraged to see that over the last year, we have witnessed an increase of nineteen reports of serious sexual offences which demonstrates the growing level of trust and confidence our communities have in our ability to tackle serious violent crime.

“We are committed to building on our success year upon year and will always strive to deliver an even better service so that our communities can remain confident in our high standards of policing. Engaging with the people of Cumbria to hear their thoughts and ideas on what needs to be addressed in their local area will remain our focus over the coming year. We want local residents to get to know and understand how their neighbourhoods are being policed and attend our regular Safer Stronger Community meetings to have a say on how we use our resources to make their area safer and more pleasant to live.”

Ray Cole, the Chairman of Cumbria Police Authority, the policing ‘watchdog’ for Cumbria said: “The Police Authority welcomes and acknowledges the high level of performance achieved by all members of the Constabulary over the last twelve months. The dedication and professionalism of the officers has built on the excellent results of previous years. It is especially pleasing to see that there has been another significant reduction in the number of victims of crime. Incidents of anti-social behaviour, identified by our local communities as being of their greatest concern, have been considerably reduced. This is undoubtedly one of the main reasons that public confidence in Cumbria Constabulary is so high and that our County is one of the safest in which to reside.

“In recent years the Police Authority has made a substantial investment in the Constabulary and this, together with the Authority's careful scrutiny of the Constabulary's performance, has contributed to these positive results. The challenge now is to maintain this level of performance in the difficult economic times that lie ahead."

No comments:

Post a Comment