Police note 10 percent drop in recorded crime

Chief Constable's Annual Report for 2024/25 published

Police have recorded a 10 percent reduction in recorded crime on the Island over the past year.

The Chief Constable Annual Report for 2024/25 has been published, which also shows a two percent increase in the detection rate for crime finalised, at 56 percent.

Meanwhile, Russ Foster has highlighted staffing as an area in which the Isle of Man Constabulary continues to struggle.

In the year 2024-25, 2391 crimes were recorded and 2047 arrests were made - most of those (484) are listed as Public Disorder Offences.

Two-hundred-and-forty arrests related to drug offences, and 72 related to sexual offences.

Meanwhile, there were ten arrests for weapons/ firearms offences and two arrests for offences relating to immigration.

The chief constable also boasts a two percent increase in the detection rate for crime finalised, at 56 percent - meaning the suspect has been identified and the case is considered "detected" or finalised.

That's something which is exceptional, Mr Foster says, compared to other forces in the UK and other similar jurisdictions.

However, there's also been a 16 percent rise in domestic incidents and a 25 percent increase in the number of rapes reported.

Mr Foster has been clear, in his report, of the challenges facing the constabulary in terms of staffing. 

For instance, due to recruitment and retention issues and competing demands in terms of mitigating against prevailing threat, harm and risk, the capability and capacity of neighbourhood policing, he says, has been 'denuded'.

In his open letter to the minister for home affairs, he says: Initial indications following positive changes in uplifting salary for new starters show promising signs for recruitment, which will hopefully be confirmed over the coming years. 

However, the issue of retention is a significant concern in the medium to longer term as we predict the retirement / resignation of officers over the next three years. 

A strategic intervention is required to ensure that in three years’ time we are not in the same position that I inherited from my predecessor with a ‘burning platform’ in terms of officer vacancies.

Despite a successful recruitment campaign attracting 16 new Officers, the circa 30 vacancies we have been carrying up until now has made it a tough year for all across the IOMC feeling the pressure. 

This has been exacerbated by a back drop of increasingly complex criminality and new legislation.

You can find a link to the report HERE.