Petty Disputes Being Classed as Crime Are Distorting Figures: UK Police Chief

Petty Disputes Being Classed as Crime Are Distorting Figures: UK Police Chief
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives with Home Secretary Priti Patel and Chief Constable David Thompson to speak to new graduates during a visit to the West Midlands Police Learning & Development Centre in Birmingham, England, on July 26, 2019. Jack Hill - WPA Pool/Getty Images
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The head of one of Britain’s biggest police forces has said crime figures are being distorted by the necessity of recording petty disputes between neighbours or members of the same family.

Sir David Thompson, chief constable of West Midlands Police, told The Times of London that trivial arguments were being recorded as crimes following an order from the Home Office stipulating that every complaint about an individual must be recorded.
Chris Summers
Chris Summers
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Chris Summers is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in crime, policing and the law.
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