CRIME in North Yorkshire is the joint lowest in the whole of England, according to newly released figures.

Statistics from the Home Office show the number of recorded incidents in the county from 2007 to 2008 was 64 recorded crimes per 1,000 people.

This figure was matched only by Surrey out of England’s 39 forces and in Wales only Dyfed Powys had a lower rate.

The report also confirms that in the year ending March 2008 the force recorded a fall of eight per cent in total crime, with decreases in every category except sex offences, which remained unchanged and drug offences.

Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell said: “I am extremely proud of these results but the credit goes to the police officers on the street, local authorities and other partners who have worked with us and the public who have supported us.

“The force has undergone an enormous amount of change in the past year, there has been upheaval but it is a credit to the professionalism of staff and officers that they have not let this distract them from the core duty of protecting the public from crime.”

Within the past fortnight there have been two serious incidents in the Ryedale area after two men were treated for stab wounds and a week later a man was seriously injured in a street attack in Norton.

In the wake of the violence, police chiefs have reassured the public, pointing to recent figures which show North Yorkshire was the third lowest out of all the forces in England and Wales in relation to knife crime.

Ryedale police commander, Inspector Tim Hutchinson said this reinforces the message that we live in a “safe and secure” part of the country.

He said: “But we will not rest on our laurels and will be finding more ways to work with the community to find lasting solutions to crime in Ryedale.

“We have had two very serious incidents in the district recently and these figures prove that this type of crime is very, very low.”

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