Total crime in Dorset has
fallen – along with violent, sexual, robbery, criminal damage and
drugs offences – according to latest police force performance
statistics released by the Government’s Home Office.
And the independent British Crime
Survey of the public reveals that Dorset Police remains the best
out of the 43 forces in England and Wales for dealing with local
people’s concerns.
Today, Thursday, 21 January 2010,
the Home Office released police force performance statistics
covering the period October to September 2009 compared with the
same period during 2008.
Robbery in Dorset fell by 9.9 per
cent – making it the eighth best performing force out of the 43 in
England and Wales and the best out of Dorset’s most similar police
forces – while total recorded crime fell by 2.5 per cent.
Criminal damage fell by 5.8 per
cent, violence against the person without injury by 9.3 per cent,
violence against the person by 5.2 per cent, drug offences by 5.1
per cent.
The latest performance figures from
Dorset Police comparing April to December 2009 with the same period
during 2008 – are a 20 per cent drop in robbery, a 17.8 per cent
fall in most serious violent crime and a 2.8 per cent fall in total
recorded crime.
There was also an 8.5 per cent drop
in criminal damage, a 3.5 per cent fall in vehicle crime and a
three per cent drop in total violent crime.
According to the British Crime
Survey which covers the year to September 2009, 63.8 per cent of
people think Dorset Police deals with local concerns, making Dorset
the best performing force in England and Wales for that issue.
Some 9.9 per cent of people say
there is a high level of perceived anti-social behaviour, making
Dorset the eighth best performing force in England and Wales – and
the top performing force among its family of five most similar
forces.
Dorset is the fourth best force in
England and Wales – and the top in its family of most similar
forces – for people’s perception of drug use and drug dealing as
well as anti-social behaviour.
Some 17.6 per
cent of people said there was a big problem with drugs while 18.8
per cent of people in Dorset said there was a big problem with
drunk and rowdy behaviour.
According to the British Crime
Survey, 51.6 per cent of people in Dorset agreed that the police
and local councils were dealing with issues, making Dorset the
twelfth best performing force in England and Wales.
Dorset’s most similar forces – as
defined by the Government’s Home Office – are Hampshire, Sussex,
Surrey and Thames Valley.
Dorset Police Assistant Chief
Constable, Mike Glanville, said: "We are very satisfied with the
latest set of performance figures, particularly the further
reduction in overall crime which has been consistently falling over
the past four years.
"I am also delighted that violent
crime continues to fall alongside offences such as robbery and
serious sexual violence.
"Dorset Police continues to work
very hard with its partners and local communities to reduce crime
and this commitment is reflected in these recent performances
figures.
"Dorset continues to be one of the safest places in the country
to live and public confidence in our service remains very high when
compared to other forces," explained Mr Glanville.