Improving crime figures hailed by Fife police chief
Fife's chief constable Norma Graham has hailed continually improving crime figures as a sign that the region's streets are the safest they have been for over a decade.
Mrs Graham.
- By Craig Smith
- Published in the Courier : 13.09.10
- Published online : 13.09.10 @ 07.48pm
While annual figures earlier this month reported another fall in crime in the region, statistics for the first quarter of the year have revealed the encouraging downward trend is apparently continuing.
Crimes of indecency, dishonesty, fireraising, malicious and reckless behaviour and other offences fell considerably during April to June of this year compared to last year, with the total number of crimes dropping by over 15% when comparing quarters.
Despite there being a small rise in crimes of violence for the period, detection rates for those types of crime remain high and sit at 78%.
Mrs Graham described Fife police's performance in the first quarter of the year as "extremely positive" but stressed the force will do all it can to avoid complacency.
"A 15% fall in crime is particularly encouraging given it builds on the 12% reduction for 2009-10," she told The Courier. "In real terms this means 3000 fewer victims of crime, making Fife the safest it has been for over a decade.
"Through local community engagement meetings, the public are able to meet their own community police officers and have their say on policing priorities.
"Having listened to local people's concerns the force has responded positively to address them through the targeted response of Operation LASER (Local Action Supporting Enforcement and Reassurance) and in working with our partners.
"Over the last year this has resulted in significant reductions in vandalism, disorder and violent crime."
The latest stats reveal that recorded crimes of indecency fell from 190 between April and June last year to 164 in April to June this year, with crimes of dishonesty dropping from 2793 to 2437, fireraising/malicious and reckless conduct falling from 1906 to 1492 and other crimes going from 1171 to 913 in the same period.
Violent crime rise
Crimes of violence rose slightly from 102 to 109, while there has also been an increase in the number of racist incidents and racially motivated crimes.
However the number of charges for supply and possession of drugs has fallen dramatically when comparing the first quarter of this year to last, from 224 last year to 127.
The number of charges for class A drugs has similarly seen a 64.6% reduction compared to the 2009-10 first quarter, while the number of registered sex offenders dropped from 254 to 240 year-on-year.
Mrs Graham added, "We remain focused on tackling the issues of most concern to local people and taking policing closer to the community."
The news came out of the Quarterly Police Performance Report, which was presented to members of Fife Council's police, fire and safety committee.
The report showed the total number of crimes has decreased by 15.55%, or 937 offences, compared to the same period the previous year.
Details of forthcoming community engagement meetings in communities throughout Fife can be found on www.fife.police.uk.
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