Violent crime figures shock
Read the full reports that reveal violent crime is a greater threat to people in the West Midlands than almost anywhere else in the country.
Violent crime is a greater threat to people in the West Midlands than almost anywhere else in the country - and the rate of gun crime is second only to London.
West Midlands Police should do more to tackle robberies and reduce violence, according to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.
Download the full crime reports - get the national police force comparison table here and the police report card here
The region has 11 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, behind only Nottingham which has 11.6.
Gun crime is also only slightly behind the Metropolitan Police's figures.
Today the region's top policeman, Chris Sims, attacked the report , saying it was "less than helpful" to compare the West Midlands' crime rates with rural areas.
The findings form part of a new report card, which rates police forces across more than a dozen categories and reveals the cost per household of running the service.
It does praise West Midlands Police, the second largest force in the country, for being "excellent" at protecting the public from "serious harm". It said it is "particularly strong" at tackling serious crime.
It found that people living in the Staffordshire are at a higher risk of violent crime than in similar areas, and officers are solving fewer violent offences, burglaries, robbery and vehicle crimes.
Staffordshire Police was "poor" at solving crimes, but "levels of public confidence are high".
The West Mercia Police area, which includes Kidderminster and Shropshire has seen a steady reduction in crime and officers are rarely withdrawn from local policing, so the public get a "good, consistent service".
By Crime Correspondent Mike Woods
