Police claim no evidence crime will increase despite no street lights (From Watford Observer)

Police claim no evidence crime will increase despite no street lights

5:40pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in News By Amie Mulderrig

Hertfordshire police are claiming there is no evidence that crime levels will increase, despite street lamps across the county being switched off.

This follows reports that Hertfordshire County Council will not be reviewing its street lamp turn-off until summer 2013 and Dacorum prepares to be plunged into darkness this week.

In a statement released today, Chief Constable Andy Bliss said that police recognised Hertfordshire County Council’s decision to switch lights off, in a bid to save costs.

But he stressed that lack of street lighting will not necessarily result in an increase in crime.

He said: “It is perfectly understandable that the council’s street light programme will cause people to question their safety and security.

“But we have seen no evidence that reduced street lighting results in crime increases.

“Police will be actively patrolling both lit and unlit areas across the county, with their standard equipment which includes a torch, every night, in order to keep crime levels as low as possible.”

The county council has gradually introduced the switch-off scheme to different areas of Hertfordshire since mid-2011, with it coming into force in Watford in November.

Supporters have argued that the move will save the authority £1million a year and reduce its carbon footprint.

According to police, since the scheme was introduced, “there has been no perceptible increase in incidents or any change in crime patterns that might relate to street lights being switched off between midnight and 6am”.

The constabulary further argued that a majority of the county has never had any street lighting, particularly in rural areas, and crime is no more prevalent in these places.

Officers are now working with the county council to monitor crime and incident rates and have agreed that street lighting can be switched back on in specific locations, should evidence suggest this is necessary to prevent crime or promote security.