The Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has announced that: "Serious violent crime is up by four crimes a week across a population of 1.75 million and a territory of 5,500 square miles", a 17.5% rise, so small an increase to determine a causal link.

Serious violent crime includes murder, manslaughter, firearms and explosives offences and the 212 case increase takes account of the last nine months when compared to the same period last year.

Editorial

The Chief Constable told the policing board that over the same nine month period that total crime fell by 1%, but in a society where more and more people decide not to report a crime, how close to reality is this figure. How accurate are the figures themselves and how trustworthy is the formal used to calculate reported crime. Government after government has fiddled with the formulas, even prohibiting you for reporting credit card fraud to the police, but rather to the card company.

The crime that frightens people the most is violence, the threat of violent, the perception of violence and violent crime is UP, by 17.5%, 212 more cases, 212 more violent incidents with many more victims, families and witnesses put in fear.

It is time to stop taking down the crime figures and talk up the detection and conviction rate, it is time to stop talking down the crime figures and talk up the penalties for the criminals and it is time to stop rewarding criminals for fear of breaching their Human Rights at the expense of the real victims whose lives have been violated and destroyed.

Violent Crime is Up and it's Sir Hugh Orde's job to ensure the culprits GO DOWN!

Last Updated: 5th February 2009