Crime Down substantially in Dover.
29 November 2007
The Chairman Cllr Kevin Mills opening the well attended Neighbourhood Forum Meeting at Maison Dieu House last night wed 28th November. It was a very encouraging meeting on Community and Safety and in relation to our main worry, crime, there was lots of good news reported on a number of fronts by the speakers.
Community Safety Partnership Manager Mr Christopher Allen, in picture on left, spoke brilliantly about all kinds and levels of crime, and about the encouraging partnerships that are effectively in current full flow and all helping with the widesperead reduction levels, and said Dover is one of the best places to live. He gave the following crime statistics...
Burglary down 33% on last year
Motor Vehicle crime down 27% on last year.
Violent crime down 14% on last year.
Civic Disturbance down 7% on last year.
These are indeed glowing figures and very good news for all of us, and Chief Inspector District Commander Roy Cottam agreed, and said the Three Strikes and your Out system was working very well here in Dover. Roy went on to say(thats the man himself in the picture on the right) that the fear of crime rather than crime itself was perhaps the next challenge for his colleagues. The fear being greater than it should be in relation to the levels. Also a top concern for Roy is the public's concern over anti social behaviour.This is being tackled. Cheerfully though and relatively speaking, we are in one of the best areas in one of the very best counties. You can sleep more comfortably tonight having absorbed those near Utopian figures.
There were a number of questions from the floor and the two of Labour's political bruisers above made staunch and heavy contributions. On the left in picture we have KCC Cllr for Dover Town Gordon Cowan, and the previous guy in the job....Mr Keith Sansum. On a personal level nice to meet Gordon for the first time and as ever good to see Keith.
Paul Boland.
dover7@msn.com
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The Chairman Cllr Kevin Mills opening the well attended Neighbourhood Forum Meeting at Maison Dieu House last night wed 28th November. It was a very encouraging meeting on Community and Safety and in relation to our main worry, crime, there was lots of good news reported on a number of fronts by the speakers.
Burglary down 33% on last year
Motor Vehicle crime down 27% on last year.
Violent crime down 14% on last year.
Civic Disturbance down 7% on last year.
These are indeed glowing figures and very good news for all of us, and Chief Inspector District Commander Roy Cottam agreed, and said the Three Strikes and your Out system was working very well here in Dover. Roy went on to say(thats the man himself in the picture on the right) that the fear of crime rather than crime itself was perhaps the next challenge for his colleagues. The fear being greater than it should be in relation to the levels. Also a top concern for Roy is the public's concern over anti social behaviour.This is being tackled. Cheerfully though and relatively speaking, we are in one of the best areas in one of the very best counties. You can sleep more comfortably tonight having absorbed those near Utopian figures.
There were a number of questions from the floor and the two of Labour's political bruisers above made staunch and heavy contributions. On the left in picture we have KCC Cllr for Dover Town Gordon Cowan, and the previous guy in the job....Mr Keith Sansum. On a personal level nice to meet Gordon for the first time and as ever good to see Keith.
Paul Boland.
dover7@msn.com
ADD YOUR COMMENT BELOW
- Thanks for those photos and report PaulB it just reminded me to add a couple of comments as i have already posted on the letters page.It was very reassuring to hear that Dover's crime statistics are all down on last years, those reduction levels are indeed very impressive.I'm sure those figures will go a long way in helping to allay peoples fear of crime.We certainly have some excellent professionals working in unison for the benefit of our Community and Safety here in Dover.
- It may be ever such a tad impolite to bring poilitics into the preceedings at this stage but isnt this evidence that crime is indeed falling under a Labour government!!? So when Minister A or Minister B goes on national TV to state such a remarkable fall mightn't they indeed by right...and indeed mightn't they have been right all along.
When Tony Blair, during his tenure as top notch incumbent, hurled extra cash not only at the NHS but also at the Police service, wasnt he sowing the seeds that now bear fruit. - 2 points here
a) we are talking about reported crime, there are many offences that go unpunished
or indeed investigated, due to victims lack of confidence in the authorities.
b) the way the figures are worked out now is different, where before one major incident may have been marked down for 3 or 4 crimes, nowadays one incident counts a lot of the time as one crime. - Howard you make good points there and it was indeed raised from the floor. It is a grey area and the answer wasnt really definitive. Roy Cottam answered the query. When you ring in to report a possible crime now you get an incident number, but the incident does not always graduate into a reported crime when investigated, so in this case would not make the statistics. Whether the actual initial call was recorded as a reported crime in the old days is not clear to me. Maybe if Christopher Allen, Partnership Manager, is looking in he could let us know.
Also there is a feeling that people dont report crime now in the same way, but again how long is a piece of string and nobody knows how many go unreported.
However if the same method of calculation is used in these latest figures as was used last year then the figures are very good indeed.
I hope all that is followable. - We have to look at the positives on all of this.
C\onfidence in the Authorities is geting better, and this new move to get the main agencies in the same room has to be a good move.
Most people who deal with Issues and work in the communities recognise this is a good move, and has to be applauded.
Lets get behind them. - Keef refers there to the new Community Safety Unit at Whitfield. All the crimefighters were very positive about this initiative which brings all the crimefighting services under one roof for improved co-ordination. There is a full Press Release about this in the Latest Comment section. Its currently on the frontpage there.
- paul
nice to hear about the crime fighters being positive.
how many live in an area that is plagued by anti social behaviour?
not many, i would vouch.
up here in priory we have to sort things out for ourselves.
things died down, then have started again, the cpso has not been seen by the residents for a long time. - Howard looking back in hindsight, and I guess its always easier with hindsight, but it probably would have been a good idea for a small delegation from your area to have gone and made a case at this meeting because you would have had direct and esy access to all the bigwigs in charge...so maybe an opportunity lost.
- our views were passed to the police at a priory forum meeting over 3 months ago.
- howard
as your aware you were invited to this meeting, and it would have been nice had you came and aired any views you may have had.
I raised issues as i always do, and some around priory, but i have no idea what outstanding issues you may have, and welcome your views as i have asked for i n many e mails.
The Priory forum members present roger(who had to leave early) marian and I took on board what was being said, but also questioned those on the top table
but if you had issues you felt were important to raise you missed a golden opportunity.
but thats what life is all about
Sit back and be critical
or get out there and take action
of course the choice is yours - keith
firstly you have studiously avoided my questions.
replying to e mails by saying nothing is not answering questions.
you were chair of a meeting of the priory forum when i raised questions of the public disorder locally, the majority of peoplen were in agreement with me.
you stifled debate, by saying" we all agree, we should continue to notify the police of any problems".
it suited you as you were just joining their employ.
you will also remember that i stormed out after your comments.
we are trying to solve our own problems locally now, we had it under control until about a week ago.
o - howard
you are clearly bitter, and I wouldn't want to make it worse, but you realy musn't just make words up.
I also DON'T recall you storming out as you put it.
And as i have said to you before my employment and my community work do not conflict as i have aid if the police need to be questioned and put on the spot i will and did so at the n/hood meeting.
Difference between myself and yourself is that I do it at priory forum and other public meetings.
i have attempted via private e mail to meet up with you to try to resolve outstanding issues(if there are any!) but to date you have declined.
I stand by my comments that if we have problems relating to the police we should inform them, im rather surprized if you disagree on this.
I recall the priory forum members(some) did question the police on issues relating to priory in general, but you, or no other committee member questioned the summing up,
iv since spoken to most of those present at t appears they don't have same view point to you on what happened at that meeting.
I'm still happy to hold out the olive branch, but this doe need to be cleared up in next few days,
keith - keith
please refer back to e mails sent to you by me.
these were sent after i got no sensible replies in person.
i have kept copies of all correspondence. - howard
all deleted as all questions answered
but if you require further info please dont hesitate to contact me
k - keith
of course you deleted yours.
as for contacting me you have always had my landline number, mobile number, house number .
now that you do need others to do the spade work for you these things are forgotten.
our exchanges are all on my computer and on cd. - howard
im realy pleased you want to keep momento's of our conversations
me, as i stated in the posting, im unwilling to get involved in your negative postings;
I continue to hold out the olive branch
but i dont know for how long
k