Key crime and force performance statistics 2021

The increases in recorded crime, compared to pre-covid and the last 12 months, are steadily reducing.

In 2022 total crime across Lincolnshire increased by 7% to 58,904 – less pronounced than last year’s 12.5%.

Lincolnshire is following the national trend of returning to pre- covid levels of offences, but we are tracking slightly above the national average in many offence categories.

The number of burglaries to 3,376  (a rise of 7%). Burglaries of residential properties were up to 2,309 (a rise of 10%) but  commercial premises burglaries increased by less than 1% to 1,067.

Theft cases (excluding vehicles) overall were up by 19.75%, with a total number of 11,260 - with nearly half all cases of theft (5,355) recorded as  shoplifting.  Thefts from person grew to 170 (up 14%). Bike thefts reached 890 – a 3% increase.

Thefts of vehicles rose by 9% to 859 and thefts from vehicles  rose  by 17% to 1,386.

Arson and criminal damage fell slightly during the year (down 0.03%) to 6,462 and public order offences rose slightly to 5,084 (up 1.4%).

While homicides  were  down  to  6 (a 50% decrease) Violence with injury increased by 10% to  6,968 and violence without injury still makes up the majority of violence cases - at 9,110 (up 4%).

Significant work is being undertaken in different areas of violence where there is the highest threat, such as Domestic Abuse - which accounts for a third of violence offences - Night-Time Economy and Knife Crime.

Sexual offences  rose  overall  by 3.5% to 2,521- but rape dropped by 0.8% to 925. Stalking and harassment cases totalled 7,676  – an increase of just over 1%.

Robbery increased by 12% to 388. Drug offences increased by 5% to 1,462 of which drug possession made up two thirds of offences at 1,048.

Mental health related incidents continued to cause issues for policing with 8,737 cases recorded during the year – an 31% increase on last year and an 89% increase on pre-Covid levels.

We currently have a team of 12 mental health practitioners going through vetting/training who will work within the control room offering guidance and support to officers.

We are also finalising two rapid response vehicles which will work seven days a week to deploy to scenes as required. It is recognised that our partner agencies are also facing significant challenges with demand and capacity and we continue to work with them to find the best solutions.

A number of strategic risks have been escalated to the County Health & Wellbeing Board, to ensure the critical infrastructure for mental health crisis in Lincolnshire is fit for purpose.

Missing person cases also continue to take up considerable resources for the force – with 2,680 cases in 2022 (up 2%). The number of missing  children  increased  by 96 to 1,438.

The proportion of offences which result in a positive outcome has improved significantly on last year (up 13%). Out of court disposals were up 60% on last year.

During the year the force received 130,055 999 calls – a 10% increase in last year. Of those calls 89%  were dealt with within 10 seconds (decrease of just 1%) and only 0.79% if calls were abandoned.

The increase in  999  and  101 demand affected call handling performance,  with a   slight decrease in the percentage of calls answered within 3 minutes (0.1% down) and a slight increase in the number  abandoned,  which  at  21% is 7% increase on last year.

In order to help balance the demand between 999 and 101 calls it has been recognised  that  the FCR needed more call-taking staff. The establishment of call-takers in April 2022 was 58. Since then, with investment from the  PCC,  the force has embarked on a recruitment program aimed at increasing to 90 call-takers by the end of 2023. The number has already increased to 70  and  there is another intake of 14 in March 2023.

The Force Urban Response time target for urgent calls is under 15 minutes and over the last 12 months 60% of urgent incidents have been attended within this time.

The Force Rural Response time target is under 20 minutes and in the last 12 months 66% of urgent incidents have been attended within this time.

User satisfaction across the year increased by 1% with 71% now satisfied overall with 56% satisfied with how well they were kept informed.