Increase in crime after police cuts

26 January 2018

The latest crime figures are a further sign of the impact of Government cuts on the police service, according to Leicestershire Police Federation chair Tiff Lynch.

 A report from the Office for National Statistics released today shows police recorded crime nationally had increased by 14 per cent to the year ending September 2017.

 The report also found:

• Knife crime has risen by 21 per cent
• Gun crime was up by 20 per cent
• An increase of 29 per cent in rape allegations
• A 36 per cent rise in stalking and harassment
• Domestic burglary up by 32 per cent, and
• Theft of motor vehicles growing by 20 per cent.

Tiff commented: “These figures are alarming in themselves but I think we have to look beyond statistics. For each and every crime there is a victim, a victim’s family and a victim’s friends who will be affected and that is what concerns me. An increase in crime means that more and more people are suffering due to criminal activity.

“The Government’s cuts programme has reduced police officer numbers by 21,000 since 2010 and yet there has been no corresponding fall in demand and, in fact, we have seen not just an increase in traditional crimes but also a surge in cyber-crime, human trafficking, historic sex abuse allegations and, of course, the ever-growing threat of terrorism, all of which increase the workload for cash-strapped forces.

“As the Federation has been saying for some time, cuts to police budgets has consequences and all too often we are seeing that it is our communities paying the price since the police service is struggling to match dwindling resources with increased demand.

The report, Crime in England and Wales: year ending September 2017, released by Office for National Statistics  asks people about their experience of crime, and showed a decrease of 10 per cent from 2016; however, it showed the 14 per cent increase in police recorded crime figures and also revealed a rise in all but four categories of crime.

Andy Fittes, general secretary of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said spin suggesting the data proved crime is falling was just smoke and mirrors.

He explained: “When you look at the police recorded figures – which represents the reality of what our members deal with day to day - there have been significant and worrying increases in the majority of crime types. To say it has fallen is smoke and mirrors. Front-line officers are under increasing pressure and dealing with larger caseloads than ever before. This worrying rise in crime will only add to this pressure.

“The reality is there are around 21,000 fewer officers than there were in 2010 and they are having to deal with an ever-increasing number of crimes. This is on top of the numerous other roles they undertake as they serve the public.

“Countering terrorists who seek to attack our way of life; managing sex offenders in the community; preventing child sexual exploitation; looking for missing persons; dealing with people with mental health problems; policing football matches; policing pubs and clubs; house to house enquiries and taking statements are just some of the key areas of police work not covered in these statistics.

“The Government will no doubt jump on the headline figures but they need to accept the simple reality that the result of cutting police officers and funding is a rise in crime. They have to acknowledge this and act now to remedy it.” 

There has been an apparent fall in drug possession (down by seven per cent). However, the Federation argues that with many forces reducing the number of stop and searches undertaken by officers, this is unlikely to reflect the true reality on the ground.