This in from the police, in their own words. Ed
Crime is down across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight with dwelling burglary at an all-time low.
The quarterly statistics, comparing the year ending September 2012 with the same period in 2011 were released by the Office for National Statistics today (Thursday).
The figures show that burglary from homes across Hampshire and Isle of Wight is down from seven burglaries per 1000 population to six – a drop of 22 per cent – making Hampshire Constabulary third best performing force for reducing dwelling burglary.
Robbery down
Robbery has seen a reduction on 27 per cent, violence against a person causing injury is down by 15 per cent and criminal damage is down 13 per cent.
Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have seen a reduction in crime across the board from 65 per 1000 of the population to 62, making it the 10th best performing force for reducing crime.
“Role of partner organisations cannot be ignored”
Simon Hayes, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, said: “I would like to praise the work of all Hampshire Constabulary officers and staff in reducing crime across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. I continue to be impressed by the dedication shown by everyone in the force to make our communities safer.
“The role of partner organisations in the overall reduction of crime cannot be ignored either, and this is something I am looking to strengthen in the coming years to ensure that wider community solutions are drawn up to address the problems in society, and that there is not an expectation of the police alone to deal with it.
“These figures provide a strong indication of the direction of travel for the force. I will be sitting down with the new chief constable as part of my regular meetings with him to look closely at these figures and to satisfy myself that Hampshire Constabulary can continue to sustain this level of performance and will remain one of the top performing forces in the country.”
“Protect the people we serve”
Hampshire Constabulary Chief Constable, Alex Marshall, said: “My aim since joining the constabulary in 2008 has always been to protect the people we serve from those who would cause them harm by making our two counties a hostile environment for criminals. I am leaving content in the knowledge that this legacy is continuing.
“The 12 per cent reduction in total crime across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is testament to the tireless dedication, commitment, hard work and ‘one team’ approach of officers and staff.
“Burglary has been a particular focus of the force in recent years, under the banner Operation Nemesis. It is a horrific crime which can have a long lasting effect on its victims, leaving people feeling vulnerable in the one place they are supposed to feel the most secure.
“I am very pleased to see that dwelling burglary has now reduced across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight by 22 per cent. I’m confident this reduction will continue under the new chief constable.”
Increase in drug crime
The force area has seen an increase in drug crime of seven per cent largely down to the work of proactive initiatives such as Operation Fortress, the force’s response to the issue of drug related violence in Southampton
Launched in May 2012, the campaign has brought together agencies from across the city to find long term solutions tor restricting the supply of drugs, reducing the demand for drugs and helping to rebuild communities.
The Operation Fortress team has already seen those initially targeted by the campaign jailed for drug dealing offences.
Image: West Midlands Police under CC BY 2.0
