Early intervention

Bill Skelly, the national policing lead for crime recording and statistics, said: “Today’s officers are dealing with more complex crime, more safeguarding and protecting vulnerable people and an unprecedented terror threat, as well as tackling some of the genuine rises in knife and gun crime, robbery, burglary and vehicle-related crimes which turn the trend on many years of reductions.

“Our response involves good proactive policing, developing specialist capabilities for more complex crime and effectively intervening early.”