The Police & Crime Plan for Lancashire 2024-2029 - Page 3

6,156 residents have shared their views on crime and policing as part of the consultation.

Key Findings

Feelings of safety

• 67.66% of residents have stated they feel either safer or very safe in the area they live in.
• 21.9% of residents have reported feeling unsafe and 5.69% have responded to say they are feeling very unsafe.
• The most stated reasons for feeling unsafe include large gatherings of youths, lack of police presence and response to incidents, drug dealing and consumption, and reckless driving, in respect of motorbikes and e-scooters.
• Residents in West Lancashire feel safest with 80.8% stating they feel either safe or very safe and residents in Pendle feel the least safe with 41.37% stating they feel either unsafe or very unsafe.

Crime and policing issues

• Asked about the biggest crime or policing issues in their area, residents stated anti-social behaviour, drug related issues, traffic violations, theft and burglary, motorbike and e-bike issues, lack of visible police presence, public order offences, fly-tipping and littering as the most common areas of concern.

Trust and confidence

• 49.9% of residents stated that they have confidence in the police in their area.
• 4.8% of residents disagreed when asked whether they have confidence in the police in their area.
• When asked what the police could do better, residents stated they wished to see an increased police presence, increased traffic enforcement, improved response and communication, neighbourhood policing teams, increased training and resources, and tackling the illicit usage of e-bikes and scooters.

Crime reporting

• 8% of respondents stated that they had been a victim of crime in the last year.
• Of those who experienced crime, 79.89% reported the crime to the police.
• Of those who reported the crime, 30.72% were satisfied with the service received.
• Reasons given for not reporting included a lack of confidence, prior negative experiences, fear of reprisals, difficulty in reporting, and a perception that their issues were minor.

Communication and Engagement

• Most respondents – over 60% – like to be kept informed through the In the Know Messaging Service or via social media.
• Over 26% of residents indicated that they like to receive information via the police website or through local events.
• 12% of residents like to be kept informed through television while over 9% indicated that they like to access information via radio and newspapers.