Andrew Dismore

New research shows that police are solving less crime since Boris became Mayor and that Barnet is well below the UK average for solved crime. In Barnet 18 per cent were solved in 2012/13 compared to the UK average of 27 per cent. This amounts to 20879 unsolved crimes in Barnet last year.

The police are also solving less crime compared to 2008/09 when Boris became Mayor. In Barnet 26 per cent were solved whereas this year it was only 18 per cent.

These revelations come at a time when fewer crimes are being reported to the police and when Barnet has lost 62 police officers and 86 PCSOs since May 2010.

Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore said:

“It is shocking that overall reported crime is down yet the number of unsolved crimes in Barnet is up to 82 per cent – the second highest in London after Lambeth.  Boris talks big about reported crime going down, but so far he has ignored that the number of crimes actually solved on his watch has plummeted. Compared to the average in England and Wales, London is trailing on the number of crimes solved where we should be setting the gold standard.

“Since May 2010, in Barnet the number of PCs has been reduced by 10 per cent and PCSOs by 50 per cent. Boris talks about getting more bobbies on the beat but the figures clearly show this is not happening.

“This proves Boris can’t have his cake and eat it. If you cut the police budget by as much as the Government has then there will be repercussions. Victim satisfaction in London is lower than elsewhere in the UK and this is not acceptable. The Mayor must act now.”