More about this area
The force says...
Cleveland is geographically small covering the areas of Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar and Cleveland. Densely populated with high deprivation levels, several wards are among the most deprived nationally, presenting a significant policing challenge.
The force serves around 562,000 residents and an increasingly diverse population. For example, Teesside University attracts around 18,500 students from over 100 countries and Middlesbrough has been identified as having the highest rate of asylum seekers within the UK.
Cleveland has a long industrial history with a significant petrochemical industry, a nuclear power station and the busy sea-port of Teesport. Cleveland is also home to a Championship football club.
The demand for policing is increasingly complex with noticeable increases in violent crime, domestic abuse and sexual offences. While some of this can be attributed to the force’s ability to identify vulnerability, increased public confidence and awareness have also played a part, particularly in relation to historic offences. There has also been an increase in theft offences, mirroring national trends. Whilst levels of antisocial behaviour remain relatively stable, Cleveland continues to have an above average rate per 1,000 population, reflecting high levels of social deprivation and high concentration of commercial and licensed premises.
Funding has reduced by £25.5 million since 2010, with 479 fewer police officers (28 percent) and 84 fewer police staff including PCSOs (16 percent). This, together with the increasing complexity of local demand continues to shape how we will work differently in the future.
Cleveland Police will continue to make communities safer and help them be stronger. We will do this by delivering effective local policing, working smarter by collaborating with others and ensuring that enabling services support operational policing. This will be supported by our key priorities of preventing harm rather than responding after the event, intervening to reduce harm where it is not possible to prevent it and protecting communities, especially the most vulnerable.
Disclaimer: the above statement has been prepared by Cleveland Police. The views and information in it are not necessarily those of HMICFRS.