The number of people in the West Midlands saying that they have recently been victims of crime has nearly halved, according to the Office for National Statistics, Crime Survey for England and Wales, 2017-2023.
The PCC said: “There has been public commentary of late, to the effect that crime in the West Midlands has ‘doubled’. To anyone who has been seeking to rely on this statistic, I would draw your attention to the following.
“The Crime Survey for England and Wales is commissioned by the Office for National Statistics. It is an annual, face to face survey.
“It is treated by government and others as the most accurate way to assess whether crime is increasing or decreasing.
“It has the data that government ministers usually quote. It is a consistent and authoritative source for crime trends.
“According to the Office for National Statistics, Crime Survey for England and Wales, 2017-2023, since 2017, the number of people in the West Midlands saying they have recently been victims of crime has nearly halved.
“However, let me be clear. I remain committed to constant and unremitting action to prevent, tackle and reduce crime in the West Midlands. That commitment is absolute, unconditional and non-negotiable.”
The PCC also spoke of the proactive and intelligence-led work by officers across the region, following a number of successful operations. The PCC championed the success of Op Captiva, as West Midlands Police continues to suppress the threat of the criminal use of firearms. Between January and December 2023, 151 lethal-barrelled firearms were recovered – 31 more than the previous year.
The force’s Project Guardian, also continues to be a success in tackling serious youth violence and, in three deployment areas to address emerging threats, 89 arrests have been made, while 35 weapons were seized. It also led to 298 intelligence reports, 71 young person referrals and 557 stop and searches.
Elsewhere, Op Elevate was recently launched in Washwood Heath in Birmingham, as more officers were deployed on the streets, tackling drug rings and county lines, disrupting operations and sending a clear message, that crime will not be tolerated.
Dozens of drug lines have also been rumbled, with as many as 87 rolled up by the force’s County Lines Taskforce team across just a four-month period, while 106% of the annual Home Office target of drug line closures was met in the West Midlands by December 2023.
Latest stats also show an 11% reduction in vehicle crime for 2023 compared to 2022 while, in October 2023, the highest level of arrests for vehicle crime were recorded for over three years (205). There’s also been a 31% reduction in residential burglaries (18,733 in 2019; 12,915 in 2023).
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