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Big leap in serious and sex crimes
From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Thursday 27th Aug 1998.
SEX attacks across Lancashire soared by more than 30 per cent over the last 12 months according to official figures.
And the county has also seen big increases in serious offences including violent crime, fraud and criminal damage.
The worrying statistics are included in an annual report put together by Chief Constable Pauline Clare.
The document was being discussed at a Lancashire Police Authority meeting today.
The annual report comes just weeks after an independent inspector delivered a highly critical assessment of recent changes in Lancashire police force.
Almost every type of sex offence showed a significant increase but the biggest rise came in indecent assaults on women which went from 453 to 567. Rapes increased by 56 to 174 and indecent assaults on men went from 75 to 119.
But the constabulary's purge on burglaries had a dramatic impact on the number of break-ins across the county. According to the figures 13,650 homes were hit by burglars a fall of more than 3,100.
Chief Constable Pauline Clare says her force has undergone major changes over the last 12 months.
A shift in policy has seen a concentration on community policing with the division covering Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley leading the way.
She said: "I am particularly pleased to say that the greatest changes are behind us. The hard work of the last two years should enable us to move from revolutionary change to evolutionary change."
Police bosses in Blackburn have been celebrating after the policy of targeting regular offenders paid massive dividends over the last 12 months. Crime in the area fell by 12 per cent and burglaries by a massive 28 per cent.
Superintendent Eddie Walsh, the chief of Eastern Division, said: "A clear crime reduction strategy has concentrated resources on the most serious and prolific offenders with officers using teamwork committed to identifying and solving local problems in partnership with communities, agencies and voluntary groups."
Major successes in the Burnley include a massive 50 per cent fall in burglaries and large seizures of drugs.
Superintendent Mike Griffin said: "Variety has been the keyword for everybody in the division which has had a busy and successful first year following on the reorganisation of the constabulary."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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