Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva - Three quarters of the way through the year, the overriding messages from the latest crime statistics are that crime continues to decrease across most categories and total crime has dropped significantly compared to the same period last year.

FIREARMS

The half yearly figure showed that there had been 27 confirmed firearms incidents. The third quarter has seen that figure rise to 37. The additional 10 incidents saw two persons injured but no fatalities, and include 5 firearms and 1 imitation firearm being recovered by police with a total of 400 rounds of live ammunition. The total number of firearms recovered this year is now 10, along with 2 stun guns and 1 imitation firearm.

The headline for this quarter is the significant recovery of weapons and ammunition that has followed from an increase in assistance from the community helping to take these guns off the streets.

So far this year we have seen 7 convictions for gun related crime and a further 16 people have been indicted and await trial.

ARRESTS & STOP/SEARCH

Arrests decreased by about 300 to 1,033 during this quarter, and Stop/Searches decreased by 25% to 4,425. Police are attributing these decreases to significant reductions in gang activity and the congregating of known gang members, particularly in priority neighbourhoods where police concentrate their efforts to use search powers under the Criminal Code to disrupt gangs and suppress the carrying of illegal weapons.

DRUGS

The number of drug seizures has decreased slightly, but remains about average. However, this quarter has seen a significant increase in the amount and value of drugs seized. Some 215kg of drugs worth an estimated $41.9 million have been seized following joint operations with HM Customs and other law enforcement partners, both locally and abroad.

The combined value of drugs seized this year now stands at $48.85 million.

TOTAL CRIME

Total crime for the third quarter of 2011 showed that 1,076 crimes have been committed over this period or about 12 crime reports per day. This represents a continuing downward trend that is 5.5% lower than the previous quarter, and 14.5% lower than the same period last year.

CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON

Crimes against the person that include in the category, murder, serious assaults, and robbery have shown a significant decrease at 163. This is the third lowest for eleven years.

CRIMES AGAINST THE COMMUNITY

This category shows a reduction against the previous quarter at 204 compared to 227 in quarter 3; although overall it remains unsteady the figures remain on course to improve on 2010.

CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY

Crimes against property also show a reduction to 709 compared to 716 in the last quarter. This period saw a significant decrease in burglaries both residential and commercial.

TRAFFIC COLLISIONS

1 road death was recorded this quarter taking the total of people killed on the roads to 4. Collisions overall fell to 497 one of the lowest for four years.

TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

9,413 traffic tickets were issued over this period slightly below our yearly average.

CALLS FOR SERVICE

While calls for service have decreased slightly during this period we are still seeing a high volume of calls at 10,455 again a marked increase and the second highest on record.

For the complete 2011 3rd quarter crime statistics document, please click here.