Last year I started using the mantra – Every Crime Matters.

It wasn\’t just a slogan or a gimmick, behind it was a real mission to champion the public\’s desire and right to get the best possible service from the police.

Whilst I champion that best possible service, with the demand often outweighing the supply of resources what I ask of the force is that they provide what is  \”reasonable\”  for the public to expect in terms of what they can and do offer.

Burglary was one of those crimes during austerity where I think the police across the country didn\’t give the best possible service, that is why i made it a priority in Gloucestershire.

A priority with funding to deliver

Last September, I made burglary and rural crime a focus for the Constabulary , little did I know that, that investment would pay off that quickly.

Burglary is a heinous crime and must always be a priority for the police, no matter what else they happen to be dealing with.

These are very encouraging results and I hope they dispel the misconception that the police are \”no longer interested\” in some types of crime

Already paying off

Not only have there been hundreds fewer burglaries but also cash savings worth more than £4,000,000 to the Constabulary and the public.

The Home Office Research Report Economic and Social Costs of Crime, second edition (July 2018), puts the average police cost of both residential and commercial burglary at £530 per incident.

• Recent figures show a significant reduction in burglaries in Gloucestershire when comparing March 2018 – Feb 2019 with March 2019 – Feb 2020
• Altogether, there were 900 fewer offences during the period, the equivalent of a 21% drop
• There were 694 fewer burglaries in the home, a reduction of 23%
• And 206 fewer burglaries in a business/community setting, down by 17%

Its not just about the financial savings

Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Head of Investigations, Det Supt Steve Bean said:

“Obviously this is a purely financial calculation but it is a good barometer of the success we’ve had in the period under review.

“What is more important is the ‘human calculation’. The savings in terms of the distress, trauma, anxiety and inconvenience that the victims of 900 burglaries would have suffered. That is the real result”.

A renewed focus

The background to the story is contained in my  annual report. 

The Chief Constable and I agree that every crime matters and that every contact [with the public] counts.

My refreshed Police and Crime Plan this autumn will again reflect my passion and energy in maintaining this agenda and building on it.