Crime rates in the West Midlands have dropped by 10 per cent in the last year, according to Office for National Statistics figures released today.
Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster welcomed the reduction in crime, but emphasised he would continue to hold the force to account, to ensure safety in the region continues to improve.
The ONS figures, showing a 10% decrease in crime rates for the 2023/24 period, is a substantial drop and translates to around 35,000 fewer victims of crime, marking a notable improvement in the region’s safety and security.
PCC Simon Foster said: “The 10% reduction in crime is welcome because it means there have been around 35,000 fewer victims of crime, but I am not in the least complacent.
“I will continue to hold West Midlands Police to account and work with the Chief Constable and other partners, to prevent and tackle crime, protect the vulnerable and improve access to justice, safety and security.
“I am committed to constant and unremitting action, to ensure that people and communities receive the service from West Midlands Police, to which they are entitled.”
Key areas of crime that have seen reductions, include burglary, vehicle crime, theft from the person and violence against the person. The reasons for this decrease reflect, successful recruitment of additional officers, investment in community policing, increased rates of arrest, additional investment in prevention and rehabilitation and the hard work of police officers and staff.
In addition to the reduction in crime, the overall harm score across the West Midlands has decreased by 5%. The harm score is a measure used to assess the severity of offences, considering factors such as the impact on victims and the community. A lower harm score indicates not only fewer crimes, but also a reduction in the seriousness of offences being committed.
Further to this, crime outcomes in the West Midlands are improving. The positive outcome rate, which measures the proportion of crimes resulting in charges, cautions, or other formal actions, has risen to around 8% in 2023/24. This increase illustrates, that West Midlands Police are becoming more effective in their investigations, leading to more successful resolutions of crime.
In a move to enhance public safety and response efficiency, West Midlands Police has also improved its emergency and non-emergency contact function. In 2023/24, the force achieved better answer times, answering 999 emergency calls in an average of 5 seconds and 101 non-emergency calls in an average of 2 minutes and 14 seconds. In addition, there have also been improvements in response times, so that on average emergency incidents are attended in 11 minutes and priority incidents in 39 minutes.
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