Cops write off 12,000 crimes
DERBYSHIRE police have written off more than 12,000 crimes as not worth investigating – nearly 50% more than last year.
And figures revealed to the Evening Telegraph show this has been done despite the number of incidents reported to police in the county going down.
-
Derbyshire Police badge
From November 2007 until October 2008, officers "screened out" 12,115 incidents – 3,750 more compared to the previous 12 months – as they felt there was a lack of evidence and little hope of identifying the offender.
According to a recent report it would have cost the force an extra £309,000 for officers to attend all the crimes that were screened out.
The extent of crime screening in Derbyshire was disclosed to the Evening Telegraph under the Freedom of Information Act.
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Goodwin said the force simply could not investigate every crime that was reported. He said: "As a force, we have to manage demand but also provide a level of reassurance to the public, which is of course a fine balancing act. We deal with around 80,000 crimes a year. Realistically, we cannot attend every one, nor is it necessarily a requirement to."
From November 1, 2007, until October 31, 2008, 12,115 incidents out of the 75,696 reported to the force were screened out. This included writing off 3,709 reports of damage or arson, 2,493 reports of thefts from cars and 925 burglaries.
During the same period from 2006 to 2007, Derbyshire police screened out 8,365 crimes when 81,694 were reported to the force.
Victims are informed when an investigation is closed and are also updated if new evidence comes to light resulting in the case being reopened.
Mr Goodwin said the force had to prioritise the crimes in order to respond to them quickly and that only minor crimes were abandoned, such as small thefts or low-level burglaries that no-one witnessed. Only one per cent of domestic burglaries were written off.
He said: "The level of response needed to each crime is assessed individually and in some circumstances, where it meets the set criteria and the complainant is satisfied, an officer will not attend.
"To be able to respond quickly and efficiently to crimes that require an officer to attend, we have to prioritise and as part of that process certain crimes are screened.
"It allows us to focus resources on crimes where there is a realistic chance of evidence being obtained and ultimately an arrest and charge.
"If further evidence or information comes to light then we are in a position to investigate further."
In November, Chief Constable Mick Creedon told the Evening Telegraph how the force needed an extra £4m, along with up to 300 extra officers, to be able to tackle growing problems such as terrorism and organised crime gangs.
He also said that because of the Government grant formula, Derbyshire police was under-funded by nearly £5m last year.
But despite being shortchanged by the Government and having to deal with growing pressures, a police spokeswoman said this was not the reason for screening out more crimes than last year.
She said: "There is no reason for the increase in crime screening in 2007-8 compared with 2006-7 because each crime is assessed individually before a decision is made as to whether it should be screened out."
A spokeswoman for Victim Support, a charity which helps people affected by crime, said the figures did not come as a surprise to the organisation.
She said: "The police have always had to make tough decisions on which crimes are worth spending time and money in trying to solve.
"Whether it is called screening out, rationing or making evidence-based judgments on the likelihood of catching someone, it amounts to the same thing.
"Overall it is why less than 5% of all crime ever ends in a conviction. However, if the police didn't do this, the alternative would be to investigate everything until a culprit was found.
"What is important is that the police make a considered judgement."
Patrick McLoughlin, MP for West Derbyshire, agreed that it was not possible for the force to investigate all incidents reported.
He said: "The force do need to be very open about what they are doing in terms of screening out crimes. No-one wants to see police time wasted on trying to investigate crimes that will not be solved.
"But I'm very reluctant to say that certain crimes should not be investigated, as incidents that may not seem important to a young person may be very distressing to an older person.
"We have to trust the judgement of the force."
11 Comments
View all
by S, Littleover
Friday, January 09 2009, 3:30PM
“The Police have a thankless job to do and can't do right for wrong. If you saw the thousands of ridiculous calls that come in you'd appreciate this isn't just sweeping things under the carpet - poeple wanting lifts or can't get to vote on strictly just for starters! Do you really think that should be responded to?!
Unless you work as part of the system you can't really appreciate the scale of things. The public happily sit and moan yet they all call 999 when they want help.
I would like to praise those out their putting their lives on the line for us as public, and that goes for the other emergency services.
If you think it's frustrating being a member of the public, you should try working for an organisation where your hands are constantly tied and you are hindered by targets and budget constraints.
PS - Amusing, why don't you clear off elsewhere if you aren't happy”
by Amusing, Derby central line
Thursday, January 08 2009, 3:18PM
“to say that the police are incompetent is an understatement, if i had a choice i would not pay a percent of the wages..i say this from having a large number of bad experiences with the police and it has bovered me so much that i almost was hoping to sue the plonkers for herassment aswell as failing the public and opinienated taxpayers as a whole.this country is a shambles and i can officially say i am ashamed to be a citizen of it...anyone who feels the current state of affairs is something to be proud of does not deserve to have a say in these issues as i suppose i have not the right either..!”
by S Willis, Derby
Thursday, January 08 2009, 3:12PM
“This does not suprise me at all, After being attacked by 4 youths in my own front garden, 2 police officers attended they supposedly went to look for them, 1 officer returned after approximately 15 minutes told me they had had a good look around, but had still had time to drop the other officer off at the station.
Needless to say they were not caught.”
by pat, Derby
Thursday, January 08 2009, 3:06PM
“For 'written off' I take it you mean no witnesses, no lines of enquiry possible. (fingerprints, DNA etc). Unfortunately some crimes are not solveable and unless witnesses are willing to go to court it just won't happen. Pointless really blaming the police but then again it fills the front page doesn't it? Perhaps we could issue ouji boards to all police. They could join hands and obtain spiritual guidance. Well done Derby Evening telegraph for once again pointing out that our Police are only human”
by Mel, Derby
Thursday, January 08 2009, 2:38PM
“I was burgled in October 08. I bet my incident is one of those that have been written off. Pity, i'd like to have seen the burglars caught and sentenced. Wouldn't mind having some of the jewellery back too. This burglary has cost me £500 for an alarm system for my house in addition to what the crime prevention people put in for me. I still don't like coming home to an empty house - just in case!”
by j, leic
Thursday, January 08 2009, 1:55PM
“Al, I'd hardly call popping round to give your mum a hug a priority. Unless you are willing to pay more taxes then accept that the police simply can't come out EVERY time someone is upset!”
by Steve, Derby
Thursday, January 08 2009, 1:25PM
“Is it any wonder then that some scum go on to commit crime after crime after crime when their offences don't even get investigated, never mind solved - it beggars belief!”
by Al, derby
Thursday, January 08 2009, 1:24PM
“My elderly mother who lives on her own reported that several times there were people in her rear garden and some damage had been caused. The police didnt respond or visit my mother with regards to any of the incidents. All she wanted was a visit to feel comforted. in the end she gave up and i have since moved back to the area myself.”
by Nick, Derby
Thursday, January 08 2009, 1:24PM
“Crimes can be prevented in alot of circumstances. If someone is daft enough to leave a sat-nav stuck to the inside of the windscreen while shopping for 2 hours, then they have presented an opportunity and the police should not be expected to investigate it because it could have been prevented.
I am not a police basher, but isnt it obvious that we can all do our bit to prevent crime and although I dont like the fact that the state of todays society means we have to be vigilant, if we dont present opportunitys then we do cut down our chances of becoming a victim of crime.”
by Josephine, Derbyshire
Thursday, January 08 2009, 1:21PM
“And these figures are the basis of government statistics, telling us how much safer we are now under NuLabour.
So why is Gordon Brown secretly rushing ahead with his Chinese / Middle Eastern ID Card and NIR database system, and hiding the truth about it from us - e.g. that it breaks all 10 of the government's own principles (originally set to protect us from becoming a police state), and the rolling in of eBorders and ContactPoint to track and control us?
It is all part of the spin and lies covering the dismantling of democracy and growth of authoritarian government.”