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# Police Commissioner hails role of residents in driving down crime
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/police-commissioner-hails-role-of-residents-in-driving-down-crime/
- Published: 2013-04-17T07:59:07.000Z
- Updated: 2013-04-17T07:59:07.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Crime, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:24, News

Staffordshire’s Police Commissioner has praised local residents for doing their bit to cut crime across the county.

New figures show that the number of crimes fell to 59,403 between April 2012 and March 2013 from 65,559 in the same period the previous year.

The fall of over nine per cent has pleased Matthew Ellis, but he admits he still hopes the figures will fall further.

[![Matthew Ellis](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/matthew-ellis-02.jpg "Matthew-Ellis-02")](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/09/police-and-crime-commissioner-candidate-outlines-special-constables-plan/matthew-ellis-02/)

Matthew Ellis

“It’s a real tribute to police officers and staff that, at a time when budgets are shrinking, crime is still falling, but there’s still more to do,” he said.

“After joining officers on Operation Nemesis dawn raids where some serious criminals were hounded out, I was so uplifted by the overwhelming community confidence these crackdowns inspire.

“Local people played their part by telling us about these criminals and it just shows what a powerful force communities are in the fight against crime – just ask one of the county’s 20,000 Neighbourhood Watch members.”

The figures also showed that violent crime with injury fell by 2.6 per cent to 6,888 reported incidents.

And Commissioner Ellis believes the partnership between officers and residents will continue to be crucial.

“When Police officers are more visible and work together with communities it forms that vital bond, which leads to safer and stronger neighbourhoods,” he said.

“To keep crime falling in the future, the Police and Crime plan I’ll publish in June will set out how crime will be reduced further, how every pound will be spent better and how over the next three years, we’ll become the most advanced police force in the UK.”