New GMP data shows a reduction in recorded crime figures
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) says it is “confident it now has accurate crime recording data” after the first set of figures released since the introduction of a new IT intelligence platform show recorded crime fell by eight per cent between 2018 and 2019.
There were 28,000 less recorded crimes in Greater Manchester during this time, which is the first real reduction in year-on-year comparison data.
GMP said even though the crime figures reduced, it still received a similar amount of calls to its Operational Communications Branch, around 1.15 million, when comparing the same period.
The data was extracted using iOPS Cognos, which is part of the new IT system launched at GMP in July 2019. This gives the force access to a large amount of data and a range of analytical tools that can extract the data and provide reports to use internally and to share with partners.
“The improvements and availability of management information, development of the performance dashboard and the variety of iOPS PoliceWorks reports available, have all positively contributed to achieving a position whereby we are confident we now have accurate crime recording data,” said GMP.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes said: “Crime recording standards in GMP have improved significantly in the past few years and we are still on that upward trajectory. This data shows that recorded crime in Greater Manchester was eight per cent lower in 2019 compared to 2018. This represents a real reduction in recorded crime in Greater Manchester. However, we still have improvements to make to ensure crime data is accurate and in-line with National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS) requirements.
“The NCRS and Home Office Counting Rules definitions of crime data are regularly revised, which adds challenges to having all officers at every rank having a detailed understanding of these rules. Due to this we have invested heavily in dedicated resources across the force, in order to improve crime recording and NCRS compliance.
“Our commitment to improving this data was evident by the launch of a new Crime and Incident Recoding Centre of Excellence in May this year. The team will provide a coordinated approach to make improvements in all aspects of crime and incident recording.”
Bev Hughes, Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice said the eight per cent reduction in recorded crime was “heartening”.
“That equates to 28,000 fewer offences committed in 2019 compared to the year before,” she added. “And while the data is still being verified, we also believe there has been an encouraging reduction in overall knife crime, one of the most serious crimes that blights the lives of victims, families and communities.
“This reduction should be understood in the context of substantial cuts in government funding of Greater Manchester Police since 2010, resulting in the loss of 2,000 police officers and 1,000 non-police staff.
“But I know that every day, frontline GMP officers are working hard to keep our communities safe and halting crime.”
Ms Hughes added: “In Greater Manchester, we have committed to delivering a named neighbourhood police officer and named police community support officer in every one of our 215 local authority wards across our city region.
“But we recognise that tackling crime is not solely a police issue – we need local authorities, youth services, health, education and schools, as well as other criminal justice partners, around the table. “By coming together we will work hard to further drive down instances of recorded crime and continue to make Greater Manchester the best place in the country to grow up, get on and grow old.”
GMP introduced the iOPS operating system in July 2019 as a replacement for its command and control and two records management systems. It contains two major elements – ControlWorks for command and control and PoliceWorks for records management – along with others to improve the use of mobile technology and demand management data.
Despite initial teething problems, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins says the new system provides “better quality information to officers and managers” and is a platform for future cutting-edge technology.
GMP said crime data for the first six months of 2020 would be released later this summer.
