Violent crime is being driven down by police op
AN OPERATION to increase police presence in Harborough town centre at weekends has been hailed for reducing the number of violent assaults.
There were 336 victims of violent crime between April and December last year, the latest police figures show.
That is 59 less than the 395 incidents reported in the same period the previous year.
The majority of such assaults - which range from minor fights to more serious offices such as actual bodily harm - take place in the town centre on weekend evenings, say Harborough police.
And they are putting the reduction down to the success of Operation Verify, launched last year.
It saw more beat officers put out on patrols of the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights in a bid to prevent alcohol-fuelled violence.
Police say having extra officers on the streets acts as a deterrent.
Officers are also able to step in more quickly to prevent potential violent incidents before they escalate.
Sgt Phil Durrant, of Harborough police, said: “At this point last year we had recorded 395 violent crimes.
“That can be from the most low-level assault up to an assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
“This year we’ve recorded 336 such incidents, which effectively means there were 59 less victims of crime in Harborough.
“A lot of that success is attributed to Operation Verify, which is extra patrols, extra officers that you will see out and about on Friday and Saturday evenings.
“The numbers speak for themselves.”
4 Meanwhile the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire has warned the force faces a tough year ahead from a financial perspective.
It comes after Sir Clive Loader was given details of the provisional Government police settlement for 2013-14.
Leicestershire is set to receive £116.8m from Government grants, in addition to any council tax raised locally.
Sir Clive said the force had already made £23m savings last year, but that more savings would be expected in the future.
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Weather for Market Harborough
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
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