Page 19 - Alive January 2016 Newsletter Flip Book

Overall crime down, but rise in sexual offences
overall crime in Bedfordshire is up by just four per cent, according to the latest figures published by the office for National Statistics (oNS).
However, the statistics, which are to the year ending September 2015, show some big reductions in crime rates including a 13 per cent reduction in robbery, a 12 per cent drop in burglary and a 24 per cent reduction in theft from person offences
But crimes on the rise include sexual offences which are up 34 per cent, violence against the person (up 23 per cent) and a 40 per cent increase in possession of offensive weapons.
Nationally, The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) showed there was a six per cent increase in police recorded crime across the country, with some of this thought to be down to improvements in the way some crimes are recorded, notably violence against the person.
Across the country sexual offences were also up, again thought to be down to better recording and a greater willingness of victims to come forward to report such crimes.
The Police Federation of England and Wales has said the figures show that the risk to public safety is greater than ever.
Chairman Steve White said: “Now is not the time to be taking the foot off the policing pedal. These figures show an alarming rise in recorded crime, which is what we, as a Federation, have been saying all along.
“There were 1.3 million violent incidents in England and Wales in the last year – and yet the police service is currently operating with 17,000 fewer officers than five years ago. Sexual crimes are up from 73,003 to 99,609, and even the ONS concedes that this may be the tip of the iceberg because this
the survey does not even include figures for cyber-crime which we also know is one of the fastest-growing areas of crime.
“These crime figures are worrying
– showing an upward trend in virtually all the crime areas that seriously concern the public. And they don’t even begin to reflect the other work that the police also have to do which is not recorded in the figures, including counter-terrorism, managing sex offenders in the community, preventing sexual child exploitation, missing persons searches and dealing with people with mental health issues.
“Faced with the proof that is now staring us in the face, we need to take a long hard look at what these figures are telling us and sit down with Government to ensure that policing resources are not only protected but also further enhanced through appropriate police reform. We want to work together to ensure this upwards trend in crime is reversed – greater efficiencies through reform will underpin effectiveness in getting the job done, and
“type of offence often goes unreported hopefully be reflected in crime rates
nationally.”
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE TAKING THE FOOT OFF THE POlICING PEDAl. THESE FIGuRES SHOW AN AlARMING RISE IN RECORDED CRIME, WHICH IS WHAT WE, AS A FEDERATION, HAvE BEEN SAyING All AlONG.
compared with other types of crime. And
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