Row erupts over Hampshire crime figures

11:56am Friday 19th October 2012 in News

POLICE unions have clashed with the Government over a drop in crime in Hampshire.

There was a seven per cent fall in recorded offences, the Office for National Statistics said – with car crime down by almost a quarter – to 123,222 offences.

Yesterday the Police Minister told the Daily Echo the Government’s controversial shake-up of the police would not jeopardise the trend.

Conservative Damian Green claimed that measures taken so far – which includes funding cuts leading to the loss of hundreds of officers – explained the reduced figures.

He said: “We are seeing crime falling in this country, becoming a safer place, which shows that police reform is working.”

But John Apter, of Hampshire Police Federation, said: “It is in spite of, not because of the reforms.

Rather than patting themselves on the back, they should give credit to the police force and officers who have been working hard with less.”

Nominations close today for next month’s vote to choose Hampshire’s new police and crime commissioner.

Mr Green confirmed £3m was being spent on adverts to raise the profile of the elections after warnings that holding the poll in November, coupled with a lack of public interest, could lead to a record low turnout.

The Police and Crime Commissioner, to be paid £85,000 a year in Hampshire, will be responsible for holding the Chief Constable to account, setting the budget
and choosing a ‘policing plan.'

Comments(9)

The Watcher says...
1:40pm Fri 19 Oct 12

I will safely predict that the turnout for the Police & Crime Commissioner elections will be even lower that those for the unwanted EU elections (and even lower than union votes!!!).

The electorate do not want elected PCCs.

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mooky9 says...
2:07pm Fri 19 Oct 12

The Watcher wrote:
I will safely predict that the turnout for the Police & Crime Commissioner elections will be even lower that those for the unwanted EU elections (and even lower than union votes!!!).

The electorate do not want elected PCCs.
Very true, and while we are talking money how much do the council etc pay to keep sending out voter registration forms, I am sick of them coming through the letterbox like confetti...

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simaster says...
3:18pm Fri 19 Oct 12

Should we see the number of SOLVED crimes, before we congratulate the police on a good job?

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simaster says...
3:18pm Fri 19 Oct 12

Should we see the number of SOLVED crimes, before we congratulate the police on a good job?

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10 Minute Man says...
3:28pm Fri 19 Oct 12

Oh the conflict - too much crime and the police/govt are rubbish and more money needs to be spent etc.

But too little crime then the cuts are justified, there's no "problem to solve" by some glad-handing political apparachik, and no need for us to be fearful and give up our civil liberties to be protected from the bogeymen.

Having the elections in November is simply to use the excuse of people staying in on rainy days and dark nights to cover the fact very few people want more elections with the false choice between sock puppet A and sock puppet B - and the turn out will be below 20%.

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elvisimo says...
4:12pm Fri 19 Oct 12

simaster wrote:
Should we see the number of SOLVED crimes, before we congratulate the police on a good job?
yes and lets grade them as to how serious they are. Stupid post.

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simaster says...
4:39pm Sat 20 Oct 12

elvisimo wrote:
simaster wrote:
Should we see the number of SOLVED crimes, before we congratulate the police on a good job?
yes and lets grade them as to how serious they are. Stupid post.
I dont think it is that stupid to ask for the results of solved crimes.

I think that the grading of the results is just window dressing.

A simple 123,222 offences reported with xx% convicted and sentenced in court or by warnings and xx% in a longer period.

Then we can congratulate police, MP's and Probation Workers for their hard work.

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simaster says...
4:41pm Sat 20 Oct 12

and maybe an unsolved crime figure will show how we are really coping with the criminal classes.

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simaster says...
5:43pm Wed 24 Oct 12

elvisimo wrote:
simaster wrote:
Should we see the number of SOLVED crimes, before we congratulate the police on a good job?
yes and lets grade them as to how serious they are. Stupid post.
chief gone, complaints up, but = because the reported crime rate has dropped,

do you still think theres been a great job done Elvisimo??

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