CRIMES in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale have been slashed in the last four months -- and a new CID department is expected to reduce the rates even further.

The number of crimes committed in the Pennine Division fell by more than 1,100 between April and August compared to the same period last year.

Now the new purpose-built suite, which cost tens of thousands of pounds, has united staff who would previously have worked on an investigation from separate parts of the building.

It is located on the ground floor close to an area used as a base by uniformed officers and brings together a range of specialist staff, including intelligence experts, officers who deal specifically with probation workers, domestic violence liaison officers and thematic crime reduction officers, formerly referred to as crime prevention officers, who look at ways of intervening to prevent a crime.

The department will be used by about 26 team members, who in an average month will handle up to 250 investigations from the Burnley area -- most of which relate to burglary, vehicle crime and assault.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Simon Leach believes the suite will help increase efficiency and speed up investigations into robberies, serious sexual assaults and major drug investigations.

He said: "Pennine Division is one of the highest performing divisions in the Lancashire Constabulary, having achieved a 15 per cent reduction on all crime so far this year. We were set a target by the Home Office and central government, through the police authority and chief officers at head quarters, to reduce crime in the division by six per cent this year. "Between April 1, 1999 and August 3, 1999 we had 7,921 crimes. In the same period this year we had 6,730 crimes.

"In Burnley there has been a 25.4 per cent reduction on all crime, 14.9 per cent in Pendle and 41.4 per cent in Rossendale.

"However when any crime is committed, we need to be able to carry out a full and thorough investigation in order to help catch the offender.

"If we get an unfortunate incident such as someone being raped or an armed robbery or murder, rather than having to ring round various departments to get people together they are all there in the same room.

"Having all the staff you need to carry out such an investigation working side by side in one room can only help matters. It's far more efficient.

"It will lead to improved communications and should ultimately help to further improve the success rate of our Investigative and Crime Reduction teams.

"I have worked all over Lancashire, as well as on crimes abroad, and I think this suite is state-of-the-art."