SUFFOLK police's chief constable has spoken of his delight after new figures today revealed crime has fallen while detection rates have increased. Speaking exclusively to The Evening Star, Simon Ash said the force had achieved the results amid a period of budgetary belt-tightening and despite the challenge of a number of demanding investigations.

SUFFOLK police's chief constable has spoken of his delight after new figures today revealed crime has fallen while detection rates have increased.

Speaking exclusively to The Evening Star, Simon Ash said the force had achieved the results amid a period of budgetary belt-tightening and despite the challenge of a number of demanding investigations.

In the 12 months up to March, crime in Suffolk fell by 4.4 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier, well ahead of the constabulary's 1pc target.

Meanwhile, detection rates reached 30.2pc, comfortably surpassing the 27.1pc target.

Mr Ash, who joined the force last June, said: “The whole challenge of running a modern day police force is the ability to manage budgets and deliver the best policing possible with the money available.

“The force has met these challenges head on and I'm delighted we are continuing to see a trend of crime reduction.

“We have managed our money and deployed our resources, and we have factored in the need to be able to police a number of major crimes as well as well as dealing with day-to-day routine policing.”

Mr Ash said the figures were especially pleasing given that during Operation Sumac - the Ipswich killings investigation in late 2006 and early 2007 - crime was particularly low due to the high volume of officers out on patrol.

“I was quite anxious, particularly around the period between December and February, because figures from that time were being compared to the Sumac period a year earlier when crime was very low due to the level of police activity in the county,” he said.

“Yet we have seen that the figures for this year have gone down further and against that sort of backdrop they are excellent results.

“More people are being brought to book which gives a clear signal that we mean business and we will continue to do all we can to take down those who commit crime in Suffolk.”

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