Fewer victims of violence in Bolsover

Figures just released show that levels of violent crime in Bolsover continue to fall and there have been significantly less offences over the past 12 months compared with the previous year.

A 20 per cent decrease in assaults for April 09 to March 10 compared to April 08 to March 09 was reported to members of Bolsover Community Safety Partnership’s Violent Crime Action Group this week. (Wednesday June 16)

Decreases were even achieved over the Christmas and New Year period, a time at which violent offences traditionally go up. Between December 18 last year and January 3 this year Derbyshire Police Bolsover Section which includes Tibshelf, Blackwell and Newton – recorded a total of 33 violent crimes, 13 less than for the same period in 2008/09.

A wide range of projects and actions have been financed, organised and delivered by the Community Safety Partnership over the past few months to help tackle violent crime, and the Partnership says the figures suggest these are proving successful in cutting the number of victims of this crime type.

Work has included the introduction of a “red card” reminder scheme, production of an alcohol awareness newsletter, organisation of domestic violence outreach sessions and setting up a highly successful Bluetooth messaging system to issue safer drinking messages.

Multi-agency visits to licensed premises involving Bolsover District Council, Derbyshire County Council Trading Standards and the Police have also been made.

At its meeting on Wednesday (June 16) the Partnership’s Violent Crime Group decided to continue to run and further develop schemes that have proved successful and to introduce new ones.

Councillor Brian Murray Carr, Chair of Bolsover Community Safety Partnership, said: “We have benefited from Home Office money to fund alcohol-related work in the District and the violent crime figures suggest that the projects are having an impact, considerably reducing the number of victims.

“We are currently 122 crimes below the demanding Government target set for us and obviously we are very pleased with this. We have further initiatives planned for the coming months and so hope to see levels of violent crime continue to fall across the district.”

ENDS

Release date: June 18, 2010