Devon and Cornwall remains one of the safest areas of the country according to new reports from the Office for National Statistics.
Devon and Cornwall have consistently been in the top three areas in recent years. Latest figures put Devon and Cornwall in first place, ahead of North Yorkshire and Wiltshire. Crime in Devon and Cornwall rose by 3.6% in the last year, below the national average of 4.5%.
Although some crime types, like shoplifting and bicycle theft, have shown significant increases, this is from a low base, and the rates in Devon and Cornwall remain the second lowest in the country.
“A new governance structure is in place to scrutinise our compliance with national standards for crime recording, and we have invested in resources for our auditing capability,” said deputy chief constable Jim Colwell. “We also introduced a new system to improve our crime data integrity.
“A triage system has been introduced for telephone calls, which means a call-handler identifies what assistance the caller requires. Working with the police and crime commissioner, we have also re-opened seven police enquiry offices to improve public access. We know how important this service is to the public and are committed to doing better.”
Police and crime commissioner, Alison Hernandez, added: “While I am delighted that there is less recorded crime here than in any other force in England and Wales there is still much to be done to bear down on the Police and Crime Plan priorities of tackling antisocial behaviour, violent crime, drugs, and improving road safety.
“We also need the public to be by our side, so it is vital we secure their trust and confidence by making it easier to contact police and engage with them. I intend to re-open six more police enquiry offices this financial year and am working with our chief constable to improve police visibility in all our communities.”
