The county’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) has praised Lancashire Police for the progress they are making in the fight against crime as latest shows crime levels for April to December 2023 show a reduction of three per cent from 2022.

The latest performance data was discussed at PCC Andrew Snowden’s regular accountability board, where he scrutinised the new chief constable on how the Constabulary is delivering his Fighting Crime Plan.

The meetings are an important part of the commissioner’s commitment to holding the chief constable to account, looking at how they are tackling crime, preventing victims and delivering the most efficient and effective service possible.

Chief constable Sacha Hatchett and her chief officer team updated the commissioner on successful operations targeting organised crime gangs through Operation Warrior, with increased detection of offences seeing more arrests.

The commissioner also heard how hotspot patrols funded, by money secured by Mr Snowden from Government, continues to tackle the scourge of anti-social behaviour, as part of Op Centurion, with 147 arrests and a 9 per cent increase in public confidence in hotspot areas.

101 and 999 service levels continue to improve, whilst the positive outcomes for priority crimes such as burglary and sexual offences, continue to compare favourably to similar forces, and remain above national averages.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Snowden said: "I established these accountability board meetings to increase the scrutiny and detailed evaluation of the Constabulary's performance, allowing us to highlight where we're doing well and also where we can improve and do more in the fight against crime.

"I am pleased to see the trend of crime continuing to fall, showing that we really are taking the fight to criminals in Lancashire and making sure every corner of the county is a hostile place for offenders.

"With major steps forward continuing to deliver the priorities the people of Lancashire consistently tell me they want to see dealt with, we're shutting down criminal gangs, making our streets safer and stopping people becoming victims.

"It is testament to the hard work across the force by officers and staff to target those who seek to harm our communities, ensuring they feel the full force of the law.

"We of course know that we can't rest and will strive to stay one step ahead of the criminals, so I have been excited to hear the plans that our new Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett continues to show in building on this work to keep Lancashire safe.

"I’ll continue to support Lancashire Constabulary to ensure they have the resources and backing they need to track down offenders, prevent victims and protect the public."