APCC Performance Lead on today’s ONS police recorded crime statistics
Responding to the publication of the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) figures on police recorded crime, Matthew Scott, the APCC Performance Lead, said:
“The public will be alarmed that police recorded crime continues to rise, up 13% across England and Wales. Where there are genuine increases in serious violence PCCs will be working with their Chief Constables to ensure effective plans are in place to tackle the under-lying causes and keep communities safe.
“At the same time many police forces are still going through the process of amending their crime recording practices which makes comparisons with previous years’ data difficult when it comes to lower-harm offences.”
Mr Scott added:
“There has been a lot of attention in recent weeks on the numbers of recorded crimes going “unsolved”. However, it is important to acknowledge that police help victims in a number of ways, including through safeguarding, and much of the vital support given to victims is delivered through local charities which are funded by their PCC. This is not always taken into account through these statistics.”