'WE CAN WIN WAR ON CRIME'

01 AUGUST 2001

There are lies, damned lies and statistics. And when it comes to crime statistics, the scope for fear and drama to replace common sense is huge.

People are understandably worried about violent crime. But is it really true that we live in the crime capital of the North East? Beneath the headlines the answer is a resounding no.

I decided to compare crime in the Borough with crime in neighbouring Gateshead. On violent and sexual offences, robbery, burglary and car crime South Tyneside is SAFER than Gateshead. So let's not give in to the fear which thugs want us to feel.

The Home Office group the country into different 'families' - places with similar populations and problems. In that league table we are in the middle. We're not as safe as Hartlepool, or Stevenage of Chester-le-Street, but we are miles safer than the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, which has DOUBLE the number of violent offences, or Walsall which has TRIPLE the number we do.

One crime is a crime too many, but we mustn't talk ourselves into abandoning the streets. We live in a Borough where there is a street robbery - often of a mobile phone - every two days not every two hours.

Last week I had my second meeting with the new police chief in the Borough, Dave Crosthwaite. He has got a hard act to follow, because Stuart Christison built up a good reputation in the community. But the word on the street is that Dave was a class act in Sunderland. He's got some good ideas, and I think we should all support him.

I talked with Dave about the importance of getting police onto the street, like the two beat bobbies I met at the Frederick Street festival. Those two policemen told me how they were pleased to have got out of the panda cars, and were able to build up a real relationship with the local community. What's more, once they know an area they can smell trouble.

I was delighted to hear from Dave that the money was coming through from the Government to hire more front line police officers, and ensure that the whole Borough benefits from the philosophy of community policing that can do so much not just to make places safe, but make people feel safer.

Across the North East the Government is investing in CCTV, anti-drugs initiatives and targeted policing, to crack down on crime hot spots. In South Tyneside there are serious problems. Anti-social behaviour can make life miserable, but the police and the council cannot do their job unless they get backing from the courts. And I have heard from the young people in the Borough that the drug dealers are selling their evil wares, and driving people to crime to fund their habit, so we need more treatment as well as new laws to seize the assets of the dealers.

But there are good examples of how crime can be tackled. Car crime is way down over a five year period; so is home burglary. Sometimes it is simple things that make a difference: a police officer on the beat, better locks on windows.

We do ourselves no good by demoralising the police and depressing ourselves by falling for the easy chant that 'things are getting worse'. Some things are, but many things aren't. Crime is a big issue, and rightly so. But it can be beaten.