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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
John Besley

Crime figures being warped by recording petty disputes as crime – police chief

Police David Thompson Office for National Statistics

Recording petty disputes as crime is warping crime statistics and unnecessarily scaring the public, one of the nation’s most senior police chiefs has said.

Sir David Thompson, chief constable of the West Midlands, said petty disputes and incivility are being taken down as criminal acts following a Home Office edict that all complaints from the public must be included in official figures.

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