Violent crime on the rise in Bognor

The latest figures from the police released in the past week showed that serious reported offences such as assaults and injuries reached 1,352.

The total for the year to March 31 was an increase of 112 reported incidents '“ or about nine per cent '“ compared to the previous 12 months. It includes attacks in public places as well as domestic violence.

But the overall picture of more offences fails to recognise the success of the police in reducing violence along the previous hotspot of The Esplanade.

Operation Cobra was launched by Inspector John Merrick, Bognor police station's senior officer, with the help of others such as the two nightclub operators, to tackle the often threatening situation at night-times.

Simple and effective measures such as pavement barriers and taxi marshals have cut the amount of violence dramatically. One of the most serious offences shows the success that has been achieved. There were no woundings along the seafront in the year to March 31 compared with four the previous year.

Inspector Merrick said the police's challenge now was to reproduce that approach throughout the town centre.

'Operation Cobra has been recognised by Sussex Police as one of the best schemes of its kind,' he said. 'It is being held up as an example of good practice. We have seen an overall reduction in violent crime in that area. We now need to look at spreading that success out into the surrounding areas.' The High Street, London Road, Linden Road and Canada Grove were roads which needed attention to make them safer.

But Insp Merrick said most residents of the Bognor area would never be confronted with a scene of violence.

'There is not any stranger violence in the town. There should not be a fear of walking along the streets. People who do are not going to be subject to an unprovoked attack,' he stressed.

'They are extremely rare here. Nearly all the violent crime that occurs is between people who know each other or have met previously.

'The majority of violent crime in public occurs on Friday and Saturday nights and is between white males aged between 18-24 and who are local.'

Insp Merrick declined to link the rise in violence with the longer opening hours for pubs and clubs allowed since the current licensing law came into force in November 2005. This set of annual crime figures is the first to fully feature the effects of the legalisation.

'The law has not had the impact some people first expected,' he said, 'of people staggering around drinking throughout the day.

'And we are still seeing the effects of people moving on to the nightclubs after the pubs have closed.

'The major difference is that the clubs on the seafront have extended their hours '“ and the takeaways have followed them '“ and this caused us to have to provide sufficient policing into the early hours of the mornings.'

New shift patterns are being considered by Sussex Police to take account of the trend for 3am-4am closing. Close working arrangements are also in place with licensing officers at Arun District Council to monitor applications for extra hours from pubs, clubs and takeaways.

Police detection rates for violent crime around Bognor averaged 52 per cent during the year. A total of 72 more crimes were detected by the police compared to the previous 12 months, though the overall rate was below the Sussex Police target of 70 per cent.

The rise in violence helped to push up the overall number of recorded crimes around Bognor by 221 offences to 5,142 during 2006/07.

However, the total is still down by some 200 incidents on the tally for 2005.

Just over one in three of the crimes in the past year were detected by officers to make Bognor the best performing section on the West Downs division. The clear-up is also impressive compared to the tradition 20-25 per cent level for Bognor.

'To clear up one in three crimes around the town is quite an achievement,' commented Insp Merrick.

Vehicle owners had particular reason to be happier last year than for many years previously.

The amount of car and lorry crime around Bognor plummeted. They went down from 552 to 340 '“ 212 offences or close to a staggering 30 per cent fall.

More of the offences which did take place were detected than previously as well. The clear up rate of 13.8 per cent was above the 10pc target and the best in Sussex.

However, criminal damage continued to blight too many residents and businesses' lives. The toll of graffiti, arson, damaged walls and smashed windows rose by 266 offences '“ or 13 per cent '“ to 1,416.

Insp Merrick said the crime was notoriously difficult to police because it happened at random and very quickly. But efforts would be made to put in place deterrents along the dispersal routes from the town centre such as Linden Road.