Today’s statistics show crime is increasing nationally and regionally. The West Midlands Police Force area has seen total recorded crime (excluding fraud) rise by 13%, it has also risen by 13% across England and Wales.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson, said:
“Crime has been consistently rising for some time, further emphasising why the government need to put more resources into policing. The rise in crime in the West Midlands is in line with the rest of the country.
“In response I am doing all I can to drive efficiencies. I am cutting down on bureaucracy and giving officers the technology to do their job on the move, so they don’t have to come back to a police building unnecessarily to fill in forms. These efficiencies are helping officers spend more time tackling crime and keeping people safe. The efficiencies don’t make up for the huge cuts we have faced to our budgets. We have lost over £145 million since 2010, meaning we now have over 2,000 fewer officers.
“These latest statistics also highlight the short-sighted approach of the government by continuing to apply real-terms cuts to police forces’ funding at a time when the pressures on policing are increasing. This is hampering the ability of the police to keep people safe.
“Despite the challenges faced, we are determined to get on with the job and will do all we can to protect people, prevent crime and bring offenders to justice.”
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