§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were employed by the Devon and Cornwall police force in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThis information is set out in the table:
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Devon and Cornwall constabulary Strength as at 31 December Year Strength 1979 2,639 1980 2,721 1981 2,694
Year Strength 1982 2,729 1983 2,724 1984 2,745 1985 2,747 1986 2,753 1987 2,797 1988 2,812 1989 2,830 1990 2,867 1991 2,876 1 1992 2,909 1 November.
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many notifiable criminal offences took place in Devon and Cornwall in each year since 1979; and if he will publish separate figures for(a) violence against the person, (b) sexual offences, (c) robbery, (d) burglary, (e) theft and handling of stolen goods, (f) fraud and forgery (g) criminal damage and (h) other offences.
§ Mr. JackStatistics for 1979 are published in Table 32 of the 1979 volume of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales". Statistics for 1980 are published in table 3.1 of the "Criminal Statistics, Supplementary Volume 3". Figures for 1981–90 are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 2.4 in the 1983 volume and table 2.5 in the remaining volumes—copies of all these publications are available in the Library. Information for 1991 is published in the table. Figures for 1992 are not year available.
Notifiable offences recorded by the police in Devon and Cornwall Number of offences 1991 Total 108,208 Violence against the person 3,742 Sexual offences 806 Robbery 295 Burglary 25,708 Theft and handling of stolen goods 57,965 Fraud and forgery 4,175 Criminal damage 14,975 Other offences 542
§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has introduced to reduce crime in the south-west.
§ Mr. JackThe Devon and Cornwall constabulary has resources to maintain a strong and effective police service. At the end of November 1992 the force strength was 2,909 police officers and 1,400 civilians. This represents an increase in strength of 242 police officers and 292 civilians since 1979. We have also encouraged the development of effective crime prevention programmes. Nine crime prevention panels are in operation in the area and there are 3,378 neighbourhood watch schemes covering over 90,000 households. Other watch schemes have been introduced with the participation of the local community including boat watch, farm watch, community and business watch. The police have also reported a 3 per cent. decrease in the theft of vehicles of 1992 which is likely to be partly attributable to national and local car crime prevention campaigns. In addition an alcohol byelaw, which prohibits 805W the consumption of alcohol in certain public places in an effort to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour, was confirmed in Restormel in 1991 following Home Office approval.