CRIME in Newport city centre is down almost seven per cent, according to the latest figures from Gwent Police.

Between February last year and January this year there were a total of 3,087 crimes reported in the city centre, down 228 (6.8 per cent) from the 3,315 recorded between February 2010 and January 2011.

While the number of incidents recorded has decreased, the number of crimes detected had increased with 1,688 (55 per cent) detected between February 2011 and January this year, compared with 1,404 (42 per cent) during the same period the year before.

Newport councillors raised concerns at last month’s meeting over recent press coverage relating to the ‘Bouncers’ documentary on Channel 4 and other issues.

Gaer councillor Mark Whitcutt told councillors much of the coverage had been “sensational” and said there should be more responsibility on the wider regional and national media about how they deal with such issues.

Speaking at the meeting, Newport Superintendent Dave Johnson said working with partners in and around the city centre had enabled officers to decrease anti-social behaviour by around 40 per cent over the past two or three years and made “huge in-roads” into making Newport a safer place.

The figures also show anti-social behaviour fell by 480 incidents (23 per cent) from 2,086 between April 1 2010 and March 9, 2011 to 1,606 between April 1 2011 and March 9 this year Cllr Whitcutt said the latest figures showed Gwent Police had a successful record and is “bucking the trend” of other parts of the UK.

He said: “I raised the issue in council because I was concerned with the misrepresentation of Newport as a lawless city which has particularly taken place in the national media thanks to programmes such as Channel 4’s ‘Bouncers.’”

“The neighbourhood, community and intelligent policing which is taking place in Newport and more broadly in Gwent is clearly working and the force and its leadership deserves to be commended for this.”

City centre Inspector Bob Thompson said: “These excellent results are attributed to the complimentary activities of the police and its partners, however, we are determined not to become complacent.”

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Drop in crime is great news

IT’S great news to hear that crime in Newport city centre has fallen.

Just weeks after the controversial Channel 4 show Bouncers showed the city in a less than favourable light, police have revealed that crime is now down almost seven per cent.

And while the number of incidents recorded decreased, the number of crimes detected has increased with 1,688 detected between February 2011 and January this year, compared with 1,404 during the same period the year before.

A number of initiatives have helped secure the drop.

Getting rid of troublemakers is vital in creating a safe city centre. The city centre should be a place where people of all ages feel safe at any time of day.

This has not always been the case with Newport but it is something the city is getting better at. The only way of creating a better atmosphere is to get rid of the morons who just want to cause trouble and bring the city’s name into disrepute.

We hope this tough stand against troublemakers continues and the numbers come down even further. There should be no complacency.

It is vital that the city centre is rid of all troublemakers so it can be seen as a vibrant, safe place to visit place. Tactics