Cumbria’s newly elected Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, welcomes the drop in crime across the county at his Public Accountability Conference (PAC) on Tuesday 16 July 2024.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, crime decreased by 8.3% with 3,227 less crimes recorded, and therefore victims of crime, compared to the same time period last year. When the public has called 999 over the last year, 94.7% of calls were answered within 10 seconds, the national target being 90%. Between April 2023 – March 2024, 95.7% of 101 calls were answered within five minutes.

Positive outcome rates increased to 19.4% from 14.8% in the same time frame. A positive outcome refers to when a criminal has been correctly identified and has faced the appropriate sanction or takes part in a restorative justice programme, if applicable.

Cybercrime fell in the county by 14.5%, Neighbourhood crime – vehicle offences, theft, burglary and robbery – decreased by 3.2% with 261 less recorded crimes. Offences involving firearms has almost halved at 46.4% – 13 less offences than the previous year. Cumbria has seen a 6.8% reduction in violence with injury offences, dropping from 4,942 in 22/23 to 4,607 in 23/24. Drug offences increased by 45.6% in 23/24 compared to the previous year. However, positive outcomes reached 80.2%. Sexual offences including rape has decreased, with 123 fewer reports in 23/24 compared to the previous year. Cumbria also saw a rise in homicides, increasing from one to four. Offences involving knives or sharp weapons also increased in this time frame, with 11 extra reports in 23/24. Cumbria roads have seen a reduction in the number of killed or seriously injured collisions from 294 to 273. Fatal collisions reduced by 27%. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) has decreased by 6.6% with the majority of ASB reports being categorised as nuisance.

Between April 2023 – March 2024, shoplifting offences have increased by 9.9% compared to the same period last year – the positive outcome rate for shoplifting is 36.8%. In the same timeframe, possession of weapon offences has increased by 16.2%, with 75 additional offences recorded. Violence against the person has decreased by 8.8%. Arson and criminal damage have also decreased in this period by 13.2% in comparison to last year.  Public Order Offences dropped from 4,702 to 3,337 – a 29% decrease. Domestic abuse between April 2023 – March 2024 decreased by 7.3% compared to the same time period last year with a positive outcome rate of 12.9%. Hate crimes reduced from 917 to 668. Violence against women and girls dropped from 9,378 to 7,797 – a 16.9% reduction.

Drug offences have increased and this is a result of Cumbria Constabulary proactively carrying out a greater number of stop searches since the end of 2022.

Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “This is my first Public Accountability Conference as Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner with Cumbria Constabulary and I am pleased to see that crime has decreased in the county over the last year by 8.3%.

“Public Accountability Conferences provide me with the opportunity to publicly hold the Constabulary to account over what the public’s concerns are around crime and how they are tackling these issues.

“Anti-social behaviour is an issue that was continuously raised with me during my campaign for PFCC, so it is positive to see that this has decreased over the last year and, with the extra £1m funding to tackle ASB hotspots, I expect these numbers to decrease even further in our next performance PAC.

“I am the voice of the Cumbrian public within Policing, so I intend to use these public meetings to hold the Chief Constable to account over the concerns of residents. I want to see the Police to continue to improve and be one of the best Constabularies in the country so that we can continue to protect Cumbria’s safety.

“As the name suggests, these meetings are public so if anyone wishes to come along to the next PAC, please contact my office at commissioner@cumbria.police.uk.”

Chief Constable Rob Carden said: “I am extremely proud of all the positive results the force is achieving.

“This demonstrates the hard work and professionalism of our officers and staff, who are doing their utmost to keep Cumbria safe.

“One of the key ways we are continuing to improve performance is by being more visible in our communities.

“This follows moves such as the continued rollout of community beat officers as part of the expansion of neighbourhood policing.

“We have also recently launched Operation Enhance which will see extra police patrols in areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and/or serious violence across the county.

“I’d like to thank our officers and staff for all their efforts in continuing to drive down crime.

“I’d also like to thank the public for their ongoing support and for providing the information we need to stop and solve crime.”

If you wish to report to police you can do so online at Report a crime | Cumbria Police. You can also phone on 101. Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.