Violent crime every 10 minutes
THE West Midlands is in the grip of a violent crime epidemic – with an offence committed every ten minutes.
The number of violent crimes in the region has shot up by 20 per cent just in the past 12 months, new police figures show.
West Midlands Police recorded 61,124 violent crimes in a year.
That is 167 a day, just over one every ten minutes.
It includes 42 homicides and also 33 deaths or serious injuries caused by driving.
That is an increase from the figure of 50,699 violent crimes a year previously in the area served by West Midlands Police, which includes Birmingham, the Black Country and Coventry.
At the same time, the total number of all offences, including violent crime, was up by ten per cent.
Labour said the figures showed the effect of government cuts on the police service. “These shocking crime statistics
bring home, yet again, how the Government’s cuts to the police service are putting the public in danger,” said Jack Dromey, Labour MP for Erdington.
West Midlands Police recorded 28,664 cases of violence with injury and 21,127 cases of violence without injury over 12 months.
There were 11,258 cases of stalking or harassment – but the total does not include a further 6,508 sexual offences over 12 months.
Policing minister Nick Hurd said: “To combat serious violence our strategy addresses the root causes of crime with a focus on early intervention and we have announced a new £200 million Youth Endowment Fund to support young people at risk of involvement in crime.
“On top of this, we are consulting on a public health approach to serious violence and giving police extra powers to tackle knife crime through our Offensive Weapons Bill.
“We also recognise the demand on police, which is why the Home Secretary has said he will prioritise police funding in the Spending Review.”