Northumbria Police 'failed' to go to 100,000 anti-social calls

More than 100,000 anti-social behaviour reports went unattended by Northumbria Police officers over the past four years, it has been revealed.

A Lib-Dem freedom of information request shows since 2019 officers did not attend 103,516 call-outs, compared to Cleveland Police with a 56,119 figure and the Durham force on 20,759.

The party said Labour's Police and Crime Commissioner had "lost control".

But Kim McGuinness said it was "the reality of plummeting police budgets".

Newcastle Conservatives and the Green Party have been approached for comment on the figures.

"We have lost 1,100 officers and £148m out of our budget since 2010 and of course this will negatively impact communities," the commissioner (PCC) Ms McGuinness said.

"To fight crime and prevent anti social behaviour you have to invest in frontline policing, it's as simple as that." 

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said anti-social behaviour reports across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland that led a police officer to attend had dipped from 60% in 2019 to 45% in 2022, with more than 23,000 unattended last year.

By comparison, in 2022 Cleveland Police attended 47% of call-outs with the Durham force going to 71% of incidents.

Councillor Colin Ferguson, leader of Newcastle's Lib-Dem opposition, said: "It's clear the Labour Party have lost control of anti-social behaviour in Newcastle - and their response just isn't good enough. 

"People should be able to feel that if they fall victim to anti-social behaviour, it will be taken seriously and police will attend. 

"It's time for the PCC to finally commit to proper community policing - where offices are visible, trusted, and able to tackle neighbourhood crime."

Of the 38 police forces in England and Wales who responded to the Lib-Dem requests, an average of 63% of reports did not result in an officer physically attending.

Ms McGuinness, said: "Our police resources are stretched beyond belief and we need the government to hand back the 485 officers it owes since 2010 - that's how we can deliver effective, efficient policing."

The force is planning to axe the majority of its community support officers to help pay for extra frontline officers, 130 of whom will be directed into neighbourhood policing.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police added that it would "always encourage anybody who is affected by anti-social behaviour to report it directly to us as soon as possible".

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