This week I took my draft Police, Crime and Justice Plan to the Police and Crime Panel for comment before going back out to the public for further consultation. Police and Crime Commissioners have a statutory responsibility to produce a Police and Crime Plan for their area. My new 4-year plan has been developed in response to extensive engagement and consultation events in person and online and 1000’s of residents have had their say on what my police and crime priorities should be. The focus on my new plan will focus on tackling alcohol and drug related crime and anti-social behaviour.
Tackling alcohol and drug related harm and crime is crucial in ensuring the safety and well-being of communities, as well as preventing crime, anti-social behaviour and victimisation. Statistics show that alcohol and drugs are common factor in all types of crime from serious violence, homicide, acquisitive crime and anti-social behaviour through to fatal and serious road collisions.
The Institute of Alcohol Studies estimate alcohol related crime and disorder costs society £14.58 billion, with £4,470 million associated costs specifically linked to the police and the criminal justice system. Here in the north east, it’s estimated alcohol harms cost society £1.5bn every year – equivalent to £562 for every person in the region. The impact on crime and disorder is equally stark, with annual costs of £812.4m in the northeast alone, including 700,000 alcohol-related violent incidents a year and an estimated 42% of violent incidents are alcohol related.
With startling figures like these, it’s not surprising alcohol related crime is placing immense pressure on police and criminal justice services which are buckling under the strain. As national lead for addictions and substance misuse and for roads policing drink/drug driving portfolios, I am working with national leaders to drive necessary reform in the way we prevent, enforce and treat alcohol and drug related crime and anti-social behaviour to make our communities safer, stronger and more resilient.
64% of residents identified tacking illegal drugs as their top serious and organised crime priority.
64% identified tackling signs of drug dealing and drug misuse as their second highest anti-social behaviour priority after off road bikes and vehicle related nuisance. 80% of residents identified drink/drug driving as their top roads policing priority.
Sadly, 7% of road deaths in Great Britain occurred where a drink driver was involved in the collision and 60% of those killed or injured people were those other than the drink driver.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that the public identified drink and drug related issues amongst their top police and crime priorities.
Like alcohol, drug-driving has also been on the increase in recent decades in Great Britain. The latest available data estimates that drink driving costs Great Britain £800 million a year and the number of deceased drivers with drugs detected in fatal collisions has increased by over 60% between 2014 to 2019. Drug and alcohol-related crime and dangerous driving can result in neighbourhood unrest and anti-social behaviour, creating a sense of fear and insecurity amongst residents. That is why I intend to prioritise tackling drug and alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour.
The new police and crime plan will address the root causes of drug and alcohol misuse, disrupt criminal activity and support individuals and communities to make neighbourhoods safer places to live and work and roads safer places to travel.
Last week I learnt that the Government had listened to our pleas for more funding to support Neighbourhood Policing and Durham has secured and extra £2m which will enable me to put more bobbies on the beat and boost visible neighbourhood policing numbers. So, you will see more officers pounding the streets, making them safer and helping to make you feel safer.