18 September 2007 :  CONFIRMATION that a local crime fighting partnership has once again topped the crime reduction league, is followed by news that crime in the Harrogate district is down by 10 per cent compared to the same time last year.  And what's more arrests are up.

 

Month on month, the Harrogate District Safer Communities Partnership is compared with other similar sized crime reduction partnerships across the country.  The latest Home Office figures show the Partnership has topped the league in August for the ninth month running. 

 

In real terms, this means that the district had 473 fewer crimes last month and yet North Yorkshire Police also report an increase in arrests.

 

Welcoming this news, Councillor Les Ellington, Cabinet Member for Public Protection for Harrogate Borough Council and chair of the Partnership, said:  "Fighting is crime is not just a job for the police.  We all have a responsibility and that means the Partnership and the public too.  Most crimes are committed because we allow them to be.  We leave doors open or valuables on view in parked cars.  If everyone thought about taking more care of their possessions then we would have fewer crimes and, importantly, fewer victims.  I want to thank everyone involved in the Partnership for their continued hard work to drive down crime.  And if we continue to work together we can stay on top."

 

Speaking on behalf of North Yorkshire Police, Community Safety Sergeant Geoff Crocker says that this consistent downward trend reflects the excellent partnership work in the Harrogate district.  "The latest Home Office analysis shows that there is a significant drop in most crime groups.  The one area that is slightly increased is crimes that result in actual bodily harm.  This does suffer from seasonal variations but it is something that the Partnership is addressing.  Generally, crime in the district is down by 14 per cent and we are anticipating that over the next six months this will increase to a 33 per cent reduction which will mean a staggering 1953 fewer crimes."

The work of the Harrogate District Partnership was showcased to partners and stakeholders at its annual conference held on 19 September at the Pavilions of Harrogate.  Representatives from the Partnership demonstrated the work that has led to this reduction in crime.  This included presentations from the Harrogate Alcohol and Drugs Agency and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.  The conference also profiled the Partnership's work with young people through inclusion plans, diversionary tactics and education.  The conference also looked at what is on the horizon for Partnership with a session from Julia Stack, Harrogate Borough Council's Community Safety and CCTV Manager. ENDS