West Midlands Police arrests drop by a third despite huge rise in crime

Data from the Home Office shows that the force carried out 39,868 arrests in the year to March, compared with 64,382 in 2007-08.

Over the same period WMP has lost more than 2,000 officers and its budget has been slashed by £175 million.

And the number of arrests made by Staffordshire Police plummeted by more than a half (58 per cent) over the 10 years, with the force carrying out 12,513 arrests in the year to March, compared with 29,791 in 2007-08.

The figures, which have been branded 'shocking' by a Labour MP, come at a time when crime continues to rise across the board.

WMP Chief Constable Dave Thompson recently revealed his force was at 'tipping point' due to budget cuts, and warned that he did not have the resources required to pursue criminals.

The tally of arrests for the latest 12-month period for Staffordshire Police was down 14 per cent on the previous year. For WMP, arrests went up by 10 per cent over the last 12 months despite the 10-year drop.

The date shows that WMP registered 237,666 crimes in the 12 months to June, an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said it was 'no coincidence' that arrests had fallen at the same time that WMP's budget has been slashed.

"I have done all I can to give officers new technology so that they are spending more of their time catching criminals and spending less time filling in forms," he said.

"This is in no way makes up for the huge rise in crime we have faced, nor the huge fall in officer numbers though.

"The Budget was an opportunity for forces like West Midlands Police to receive a welcome boost, once again it feels like another missed chance for the government to prioritise policing.

"With no new money for local forces and major new cost pressures for pensions sprung on us, officer numbers and arrests could fall again."

Speaking in Home Office Questions, Warley MP John Spellar claimed that funding shortages had meant criminals had now 'taken control of the streets' in the West Midlands.

He urged Home Secretary Sajid Javid to 'give the backing and resources to our police out there on the streets every day'.

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds accused ministers of ignoring the issue of police funding.

Across England and Wales, 5.6 million crimes were recorded – the highest total since the year ending March 2005.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "These are shocking figures.

"Arrests are going down at exactly the same time as serious crimes are increasing at an alarming rate."