Government figures released on Thursday show that crime in North Yorkshire and the City of York has been reduced by 9% during the past year.
This confirms the area as having the joint lowest crime rate in England, with 46 crimes per thousand population.
Public confidence in North Yorkshire Police and local authorities’ ability to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour has also increased.
The Office of National Statistics report, “Crime in England and Wales, year ending September 2012”, includes the following results for the North Yorkshire Police area:
• Overall crime reduced by 9% with a total of 36,791 crimes – this equates to 3,500 fewer victims of crime in comparison to the same period last year.
• Violence against the person reduced by 8% – total 7,109
• Sexual offences reduced by 7% – total 555
• Robbery reduced by 32% – total 134
• Burglary reduced by 11% – total 4,615
• Offences against vehicles reduced by 2% – total 3,182
• Other theft offences reduced by 10% – total 11,138
• Criminal damage reduced by 11% – total 6,355
• Drug offences reduced by 11% – total 1,980
The Crime Survey for England and Wales for the same period also showed 65% of local people agreed that North Yorkshire Police deals with local concerns – up from 61.8% the previous year and above the national average of 61%.
In terms of North Yorkshire Police and local councils are dealing with issues, 65% of local people agreed – up from 56.7% the previous year and well above the national average of 60%.
Temporary Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “The latest national crime figures are very satisfying for everyone connected to North Yorkshire Police and our partner agencies.
“Together, we are relentlessly driving down crime and making our communities safer, more secure and protecting people from harm.
“We know first-hand that crime and anti-social behaviour can be a destructive blight on society.
“Residents can be assured that we are on hand to help them 24 hours a day, seven days a week to tackle issues that are causing concern. Please do not hesitate to ask for help, North Yorkshire Police will do everything possible to improve the quality of life in our towns and villages. This is a cast iron commitment I share with Julia Mulligan, the Police and Crime Commissioner.”
The Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, Julia Mulligan, said: “It’s official – residents of North Yorkshire and the City of York live in the safest place in England. My mission is to drive down crime and anti-social behaviour yet further so that we can continue to live and work in the safest place.
“However, we know that being safe is only one side of the coin. The other is feeling safe. We will be more responsive, more visible and more accessible, so that our communities feel confident that we will always be there to protect them from harm.”
Association of Chief Police Officers
ACPO lead on statistics Deputy Chief Constable Douglas Paxton said:
“The latest crime bulletins published today have shown an overall fall in crime and an increase in confidence in the police. Crime recorded by police in England and Wales fell by seven per cent for the 12 months to September, while the Independent Crime Survey for England and Wales also showed an eight per cent decrease in overall crime. The same survey shows there were 10 million fewer crimes than in 1995.
“All major recorded crime categories showed reductions, most notably robbery offences, which were down 11 per cent, and vehicle theft, down eight per cent. A five per cent drop in violence against the person offences is the lowest level recorded in 10 years – while provisional homicide statistics show a 10 per cent reduction.
“Public confidence in the police has also remained steady with 62 per cent of people stating they believe that the police in their local area are doing a good or excellent job.
“A separate bulletin published today analysing variations in crime trends notes the quality of crime recording by the police remains amongst the best in the world. Ensuring our data is as robust as it can be has a direct impact on public trust and confidence and we will continue to ensure forces continue to meet the national standard when it comes to recording crimes.
“The service remains determined to build on the good work reflected in these publications and the results are a credit to those officers and staff who have faced the challenge of major efficiencies while continuing to tackle crime in our communities.”