Next week, Salford councillors will debate a report which shows an increase in all crime across the city of 61% - the highest average rise across Greater Manchester.
After Salford, Bolton was second with an average increase of 53%, followed by Manchester with a 50% increase. The tables produced for the report compare year to date figures from 2016/17 (April - September) with year to date figures for 2017/18 (April - September). And every major category of crime show increases.
The highest increases in Salford are for 'violent' and 'serious violent' crime. The biggest percentage rise is for 'serious violent crime', which includes firearms and threats to life, up 122% (compared to 77% Greater Manchester wide), from 88 cases recorded in the equivalent period last year, to 195 cases this year.
The number of 'violent crimes' has increased in the city by 82%, from 2,078 in 2016/17, to 3,790 in 2017/18. While the percentage increases in both types of crime are huge, the report points out that the average rate of these crimes per 1,000 population is lower than Greater Manchester as a whole.
What is recorded as 'victim based crimes' increased by 39%, jumping from 7,688 for the period last year, to 10,702 cases this year. Meanwhile 'stealing based crimes' were up in Salford by 32%; 3,748 to 4,955; and offences for 'supply/trafficking, supply with intent or the production of drugs' recorded in the city increased by 7%, from 67 cases to 72, as the same offences Greater Manchester wide fell by an average of 8%.
The figures make depressing reading, with recorded 'criminal damage and arson crimes' up 27%; 'deliberate primary and secondary fires' recorded by the fire service up by 22% and 33% respectively.
The only positive news in the figures is that the number of anti-social behaviour incidents recorded by police fell by 35%. However, during the last GMP Neighbourhood Survey of residents, in 2016/17, the percentage of people who perceive there to be high levels of anti social behaviour in their area actually doubled by 2%. These surveys are no longer carried out so there are no figures for this year.
Domestic abuse incidents recorded in the city were up by 4%, from 2,992 cases to 3,109; what's classed as 'Domestic related crime' was up by 75%, from 703 cases to 1,232; and the number of sexual offences recorded in the city rose from 178 to 287, up by 61%. Incidences of hate crime were up 57%, from 269 committed crimes in the equivalent period in 2016/17, to 422 cases in 2017/18...
Commenting on the figures, the report states that "the City Council has promptly responded to crime hotspots through public awareness, target hardening, police patrol plans and CCTV monitoring."
Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, is currently developing the Mayor's Police and Crime Plan for 2018-2020, with priorities including "more to protect our police from cuts; increasing opportunities for young people to join the police; improving the responsiveness of the 101 service; strengthening the openness and effectiveness of the police complaints system; making GMP digitally accessible by 2020; putting in place a plan to reduce violence against women and girls; increasing staffing on public transport; and adopting a zero tolerance approach to hate crime..."
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