VIOLENT crime in the West Midlands has risen by a third in a year with total crime rising by 10 per cent – above the national average.
The alarming Office for National Statistics figures have been released today for regions – with overall crime rising by six per cent in England and Wales.
The increase in violent crime in the West Midlands is double the rise nationally of 15 per cent.
Violent crimes in the West Midlands constabulary area reached 80,542 for the year ending June this year, a 32 per cent increase on 2017/8.
There were 3560 offences in the West Midlands where knives or sharp instruments were used, a 20 per cent increase on 2018.
In Warwickshire, there was a two per cent increase in crime overall, with violent crime going up by 13 per cent.
Across the UK, knife crime reached a record high over the last year, with a seven per cent increase to 44,076 crimes involving a blade.
Recorded incidents of stalking or harassment in the West Midlands went up by 63 per cent to 18,300, and sexual offences increased by 19 per cent to 7737.
Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “These statistics show crime is continuing to rise in the West Midlands and across England and Wales.
“The government’s announcement of last week of some additional resource for West Midlands Police is, of course, welcome.
“However, having lost over 2,000 police officers and £175mIllion from our budget since 2010 – these additional officers will be a long way off replacing what we have already lost.
“I continue to have concerns about the increase in violent crime which has risen in the West Midlands. That is why this month we have launched the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) which is allowing us to scale up our response to violence.
“Some of the work the VRU will be leading on includes placing youth workers in A&E departments to help people who are caught up in a web of violence, putting experts in GP surgeries to help domestic violence victims, teaching pupils in schools about the dangers of carrying knives and a range of programmes designed to prevent prisoners reoffending after release.
“We continue to drive efficiencies. We are cutting down on bureaucracy and giving officers the technology to do their job on the move, so they don’t have to come back to a police building unnecessarily. These efficiencies are helping officers spend more time in communities, where the public want them.
“The government needs to take note of these statistics and give forces like West Midlands Police the resources we need. These figures are testament to the need for increased long term funding for policing and crucially for services to support young people which have been devastated over recent years.
“Even with the challenges we face, we are determined to get on with the job of keeping the people of the West Midlands safe and the police will continue to take tough action. However, the government need to ensure that West Midlands Police receives its fair share of any additional resources.”
Joe Traynor, Office for National Statistics crime spokesperson, said: “While overall levels of violence have remained steady, the number of offences involving a knife has continued to increase across England and Wales.
“However, the number of homicides where a knife or sharp instrument was involved decreased, driven by falls in London.
“There is a mixed picture in the total number of knife crime offences across police forces with the Metropolitan police recording little change in the last year.”