Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Monday, 27 October 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Local Crime Mapping

Question: Although I welcome the Home Secretary's comments about the publication of local crime maps so that the local community knows what is going on, does she share my concern that Essex police have recently regularly refused to provide information about individual crimes to the local media? The public do not know what is going on in their neighbourhoods, which contrasts with the Home Secretary's comments about the publication of crime mapping.

Answer: It is obviously important that local police forces, such as the Essex police force, make the appropriate decisions, but I am clear—as is the ACPO—that we must reach a position whereby, alongside crime mapping, we provide much better information to local people and at least monthly opportunities for them to engage with their neighbourhood policing teams, which are now in every neighbourhood throughout the country, to know what is going on and what, together, they can do about it.

Secondary information