This month we have good news as it has been announced that crime is continuing to fall in West Yorkshire. In 2020 there were nearly 33,000 fewer victims of crimes in West Yorkshire.
The West Yorkshire Chief Constable has confirmed last month that:
Latest statistics by the Office for National Statistics show that overall crime in West Yorkshire went down by 11.3% in the 12 months ending December 2020 compared to the previous year. That is higher than the national average (England and Wales) of a 9.9% decrease and there were significant reductions in West Yorkshire in:
- Violence with injury – down by 11.7% (3,210 fewer offences)
- Theft offences – down by 30.6% (28,474 less crimes recorded)
- Robbery offences – down by 27.1% (964 fewer offences)
- Burglary (residential) – down by 29.4% (nearly 5,000 fewer offences)
- Burglary (business and community) – down by 34.7% (2,119 fewer offences)
- Vehicle offences – down by 32.2% (a reduction by over 7,000 offences)
These reductions are testament to the hard work that all of our officers, staff and volunteers, together with our partners, put in every day to make a real difference to the communities we serve, most especially over the last year during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Whilst this is excellent news our work in South Leeds is never ending and we will continue to adapt and improve our service delivery to victims of crime and the communities.
Last month we have had a focus on knife crime as part of a national week of action ‘Operation Sceptre’. We have worked alongside partners to raise awareness, ensure the compliance of the sale of knives and also reduce the opportunities for knives and weapons to get into the wrong hands.
Officers from Inner South Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) have conduced knife sweeps of the parks in your area to ensure there have been no hidden or discarded weapons in these locations as has been seen in other parts of the city and wider country.
I am pleased to report that no knives were located at any of the parks in the Inner South area.
Hate Crime is another important issue that we are raising awareness and tackling as this type of crime has a significant impact on victims and the wider community. Working alongside our Hate Crime Team we have been delivering increased training and engaging with key individuals to listen to victims and ensure that we are providing an excellent service that meets their needs.
What is a Hate Crime?
A Hate Crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity or perceived disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Examples include:
Physical attacks, such as physical assault, damage to property, offensive graffiti and arson;
Threat of attack, such as inciting hatred by words, pictures or videos, offensive letters, abusive or obscene telephone calls, groups hanging around to intimidate, and unfounded malicious complaints.
What is a Hate Incident?
A Hate Incident is any non-crime incident which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity or perceived disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Examples include:
Verbal or online abuse, insults or harassment, such as taunting, offensive leaflets and posters, abusive gestures, dumping of rubbish outside homes or through letterboxes, and bullying at school or in the workplace.
A hate incident doesn’t mean that we won’t take it seriously if someone reports it.
How do I report a Hate Crime / Incident?
A Hate Crime / Incident can be reported by:
- Calling 999 in an emergency. You can also text using the emergency SMS facility by texting 999. You need to register first by texting ‘register’ to 999
- Call 101 for non-emergencies
- Use Text Relay/TypeTalk on 18001 101
- For non-emergency hate incidents use our online hate crime reporting form which can be found at www.westyorkshirepolice.uk/report-it/hate-crime-reporting-form
- Use our LiveChat facility at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/101LiveChat
Call in person at any police station
If you would rather not speak to a Police Officer, you can : –
- contact Stop Hate UK – (free reporting App available)
- contact True Vision
- contact Tell MAMA for Islamophic hate crimes or hate incidents
- contact Community Security Trust (CST) for anti-Semitic hate crimes or hate incidents
- use one of the independent Hate Incident Reporting Centres provided by Local Authorities across West Yorkshire
- contact Childline : Call 0800 1111
This post was written by Inspector Lucy Leadbeater of the South Leeds Neighbourhood Policing Team
