North Wales Police look to tackle fear of crime in Denbighshire

Dec 31 2008 By Andy Davies

Rhian Rees-Roberts

WHY are the people of Denbighshire so afraid they might become victims of crime?

That is the question which has been puzzling senior police officers and members of the North Wales Police Authority for some time, but now the public are to have the chance to spell out their fears.

The truth is that statistics clearly show North Wales to be one of the safest places in Britain to live in and visit – and yet surveys have shown that residents believe otherwise.

To try to address the problem the police authority is to hold a series of open meetings in the New Year titled "Perception v Reality" – among them is a meeting on January 8 in Conference Room 1, County Hall, Market Street, Ruthin, starting at 7pm.

Rhian Rees Roberts, the Authority’s recently appointed Policy Officer, said that the number of recorded crimes in the area fell by 15% between 2006-7 and 2007-8, the biggest decrease anywhere in England and Wales.

"The detection rate is up from 21% in 2002-3 to 40% in 2007-8, and North Wales has the second highest sanctioned detection rate in England and Wales, with only Dyfed-Powys higher," she said.

Sanctioned detections are those in which the offenders are confirmed but the cases may not have reached court said Mrs Roberts.

"However, national figures demonstrate that fear of crime and anti-social behaviour is higher in North Wales than in many areas of England and Wales despite the higher detection rate.

"Why should that be so when there is a less than 3% chance of anyone becoming a victim of crime?"

"We hope that the public will grasp the opportunity to attend the next round of meetings and express their views on this issue of Perception v Reality. We genuinely want to know what local people are thinking," added Mrs Roberts.

At the meetings senior officers of the Police Authority will provide an overview of the situation across the region and local Inspectors or other senior officers will explain in more detail the local perspective.