PCC Simon Foster has welcomed new statistics that show total crime reported across the West Midlands has been reduced by nearly 8% (7.85%), with nearly 30,000 fewer victims in the last year. That’s double the national average.
But the PCC has vowed to not be complacent – saying he will continue to hold West Midlands Police to account to keep the numbers dropping.
The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) covers the period October 2023 to September 2024, and shows that WMP is cutting crime including knife crime which has fallen by 5.5%, burglary dwelling is down 13%, robbery down 8% and vehicle crime down 10%.
Further key areas that have seen reductions include serious youth violence which is down by 11%.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “It is encouraging to see crime reducing across the West Midlands, with a near eight per cent drop and 30,000 fewer victims of crime in the last year.
“This is testament to the hard work of police officers, police staff and partners across the West Midlands. However, I am not remotely complacent, because there is more work to be done.
“I am committed to constant and unremitting action, to hold West Midlands Police to account and work with the Chief Constable and other partners, to prevent and tackle crime, promote community safety and keep people, families, businesses and local communities safe and secure.”
An abundance of funding and dedicated resources continue to be ploughed into reducing knife crime which remains a top priority for WMP. This is particularly important following last week’s fatal stabbing of 12-year-old Leo Ross in Hall Green. For many years WMP has seen some of the highest knife crime offences per 1000 population. That has now changed, the West Midlands no longer occupies that position.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “Our officers and staff continue to work tirelessly to make substantial reductions in crime, to arrest more offenders and to ensure they are held to account for their crimes whilst we continue to protect the vulnerable. The data reflects some very significant changes to the way we police on behalf of our communities on a daily basis.
“It’s fantastic to see that our hard work is continuing to pay off and we are continuing to make our communities safer with the majority of crime falling. The statistics are clear, there are now considerably fewer victims of crime across the West Midlands. It is important to remember that these statistics are only up to last October, the last few months have brought even further reductions in crime.”
Mr Guildford continued: “It is particularly pleasing that we have seen a considerable drop in knife crime over the last year. I met some pupils from Leo Ross’ school yesterday and thanked our officers for supporting staff and pupils after such a senseless crime. We are all very focussed upon preventing such tragedies but no statistics can ever mitigate the loss of such a young and promising life.
“The latest statistics serve to evidence the improvements people are seeing in their community. While recognising that any offence is one too many, people in the West Midlands are statistically now less likely to be a victim of crime.”
The force has also seen improvements around performance and the overall service it provides to people since the implementation of a new local operating model almost two years ago and the opening of two more custody suites. Later this year, a further custody suite will be opened in Bournville.
The force has also made significant changes to how people contact police, which in turn has led to it being one of the best, if not the best force in the country when it comes to both 999 and 101 service.
West Midlands Police answers approximately 60,000-70,000 emergency 999 calls a month, the highest volume per head of population in the UK. The average call answering time is now just one second (November to January).
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