Surprised residents said they 'have never experienced crime', as Nottinghamshire has been named the 18th most dangerous place to live in the UK, according to official data. New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed which are the worst places in the UK for crime.
And Nottinghamshire has claimed the 18th spot. However, the news came as a surprise to many people who have lived in Nottinghamshire all their lives.
The latest figures show that across county 88 crimes have been recorded a year per 1,000 people. But Nottinghamshire Police said their most up to date data, recorded between April 1 last year and February 3, shows a reduction in crime.
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Reports of violence with injury, knife crime and antisocial behaviour have decreased when compared to the same period last year, and are also down on the pre-Covid baseline year of 2019 and 2020, said the force. Knife crime offences reduced by 12.5 percent this year, compared to the baseline year, and are down by three percent compared to last year, according to latest data provided by Nottinghamshire Police.
One resident, who lived in Nottingham for the past three years, described the area as a "safe place". Chris Howarth, a photographer who lives in Sneinton, added: "It is a good community spirit here. I lived here for three years and never had any issues."
The 35-year-old added: "Someone once bumped into a car and that that is as extreme as it gets. I feel massively safe around here.
"I sometimes come home very late at night, and I have never encountered any crime. I think Sneinton, where I live, and Nottinghamshire in general is nice. I feel safe."
Toby Tolbert, a resident in Nottingham, 23, also added: "I hear about things happening in Nottinghamshire, but I never see it. I feel very safe in Nottinghamshire.
"I have never been scared of walking up on the streets. I think that maybe back in the day it was more dangerous."
Georgia Merrin, a gardener who lived in Nottinghamshire all her life, added: "I have never encountered any crime myself - apart from when I was younger, and a friend of mine got stabbed".
The 27-year-old added: "I just think that crime will happen anywhere. I also only lived in Nottingham all my life so I cannot compare it to other places.
"But I have never experienced crime. I feel like in this time you cannot feel safe all the time, and you need to be aware of things - but I have never felt scared of walking around town.
"I feel lucky. I live in Sneinton, and I suppose that some people may find it rough - but there is a sense of community and I have never felt threatened.
"I think that is Nottingham and Nottinghamshire as a whole - a place where there is community spirit. Some parts of the city have a reputation for it [crime] - but I cannot say that it is stopping me from walking up the streets, because I have never encountered crime."
Ashley Moss, a restaurant manager who lives in the city centre, has echoed other people's reactions, adding: "I have never had any issues. I walk at night and I have never experienced any issues."
The 25-year-old added: "It is something you hear from other people. But as someone who lives here, I have never experienced it." Rhiannon Anderson, a bar manager, 26, agreed, adding: "I am working in bars at night, and I never had any issues."
Abdul Rahman, 28, works at an off licence on Sneinton Dale and said: "I think Nottingham is a really good place to live. I am new here and I really like it.
"I think people are very nice. Everyone is lovely and polite all the time.
"We had shop thefts before, but nothing out of the ordinary. Nottinghamshire is peaceful."
Vivian Obi has lived in Nottinghamshire for three years. The 53-year-old, who works as a carer, added: "I am very surprised to hear about the crime rates in Nottinghamshire.
"I think that Nottinghamshire is actually much better than it used to be. I am not scared to walk at night.
"I am concerned for my daughter, she is only 13 and she is not allowed to leave the house in the evening. But I would not think that Nottinghamshire is very dangerous."
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin moved to reassure the public that "Nottinghamshire is a safe and great place to live and work". He added: "When crime occurs you can expect a thorough investigation by our officers to bring those responsible to justice.
“Our officers put themselves in harm’s way each day to reduce crime and keep our city and county safe. We were one of the first forces in the country to launch a dedicated knife crime team in the city and county which has played a pivotal role in taking knives off the streets and preventing incidents from escalating.
“We also have dedicated burglary and robbery teams, which have locked up some of our most prolific offenders and ensuring our neighbourhoods are safe. This includes our commitment to attend every house burglary in person. We have also boosted the number of officers now working for the Force through Operation Uplift so the public will see more police in their neighbourhoods tackling the crimes that matter to them.
“Only recently, we retained our Purple Flag status, which shows that Nottingham city is an attractive and safe destination to visit. Violence with injury, knife crime and antisocial behaviour have all shown reductions this year (1 April 2022 to February 3, 2023) compared to the same period last year and are also down on the pre-Covid baseline year of 2019/20.
“Offences of violence with injury this year fell by 1,248 crimes compared to the baseline year (12.1 percent down) and by 450 crimes compared with last year (4.7 percent drop). Knife crime offences reduced by 12.5 percent this year, compared to the baseline year, and are down by three percent compared to last year.
“There were 4,431 fewer incidents of antisocial behaviour this year compared to last year (14.3 percent drop) and 326 fewer than the baseline year (1.2 percent reduction).”
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