CONSERVATIVES PRAISE SOMERSET POLICE (24/09/02)

Recent crime figures produced by the Home Office reveal Somerset has less crime per head of population than the national average.

Conservative County Councillor and member of Avon and Somerset police authority, Alan Ham, commented, ‘these figures prove that Somerset police are doing an excellent job.They should be congratulated and supported.All too often these days police officers are criticised.I think we should be proud of the men and women who strive to reduce crime in Somerset.

‘Last year the Police Authority invested heavily in additional police officers. The extra 130 officers funded by central government and council tax payers have now been recruited and trained and will shortly add to the police strength on the streets.

‘Equally the investment made to improve telephone call handling is paying off and there has been an increase of over 20% in the number of calls answered within the standard 15 seconds.

‘Additional investment in major crime investigation has brought the total number of arrests by the Atrium Team, (drugs) to over 600 and some of these offenders have received substantial prison sentences.’

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1.For crime figures please see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/02/cracking_crime/my_area/html/default.stm

2.Summary of crimes figures per District, rate per 1000 population:

Mendip

West Somerset

South Somerset

Taunton Deane

Sedgemoor

Average Somerset

Average England and Wales

Violence against the person

9.1

12.7

10.3

11.8

9.6

10.7

10.9

Sexual offences

0.5

0.9

0.5

0.9

0.6

0.68

0.7

Robbery offences

0.2

0.3

0.5

0.5

0.4

0.38

1.5

Burglary dwelling offences

5.7

6.7

5.4

6.9

6.9

6.32

6.5

Theft of motor vehicle

3.0

2.5

4.1

2.1

3.1

2.96

5.0

Theft from vehicle

10.6

6.5

14.2

13.9

11.0

11.24

10.9