A step in the right direction (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

A step in the right direction

8:27am Friday 17th July 2009 in Our View By Telegraph & Argus

There is no doubt that crime is a concern shared by many, so news that the region is broadly tracking the national trend with an overall reduction for the year to March 2009 should be welcome.

Sometimes such statistics are at odds with the public’s view, but it would appear that people’s own perceptions accord with the data.

For confidence levels – a target for the West Yorkshire Police – are also said to be improving.

Neighbourhood Policing Teams are being put forward as one of the factors behind the figures and it is hard to disagree.

After all, this newspaper, together with many of its readers, has long-advocated the idea of more officers with local knowledge out on the beat and this approach seems to be bearing fruit.

However, there has been a rise in the number of burglaries – again something that is mirrored in the country as a whole, possibly as a result of economic hardship.

And, although the police can point to a significant reduction in this sort of offence over previous years, anyone who has been a victim of a break-in will testify how devastating they can be.

There can, then, be no room for complacency, although, to be fair, there are no signs of that in comments from officers.

No-one is saying the picture is perfect – that will never be the case – but the figures are moving in the right direction, and that can only be a good thing.