Northamptonshire Police decide what you need to know

Northamptonshire Police decide what you need to know

Only one in 20 crimes committed in just one week in Northamptonshire were revealed to the public.

A Freedom of Information request by the Chronicle & Echo found that a total of 1,050 incidents were reported to officers between Monday September 8 and Sunday September 14, but only 47 appeals were made for information during the same period.

Among the crimes which went unnoticed were six assaults against police officers, three non-stranger rapes and a sexual assault against a girl under the age of 13.

Director of corporate communications at Northamptonshire Police, Tim Prince, said it was not always in the public interest to release details of every crime, and each case was considered on its own merit.

Earlier this year, it was revealed Northamptonshire Police spent more on 'spin doctors' and news management than every force in the country apart from the Metropolitan Police and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, which are significantly larger forces.

David Summers, editor of the Chronicle & Echo, said the figures would no doubt be a shock to many readers: "Clearly the police couldn't give us the full details about every crime but, as a percentage, 47 out of 1,050 is simply not enough," he said."This is not about raising the fear of crime, it is about raising public awareness and the public's right to know."

Police don't tell public about 95% of crime in Northamptonshire (Northampton Chronicle & Echo, 3 November 2008)