The level of community police presence in Willington, County Durham, is a complex issue to assess solely through data. While a direct measure of officer numbers isn’t provided, we can examine indicators like response times and overall safety scores to gain some insight. Willington, a Built-Up Area (BUA) with a population of 6227, currently has a crime rate of 128.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. This is notably higher than the United Kingdom’s national average of 91.6 per 1,000.
This higher crime rate is reflected in Willington’s safety score, which stands at 71 out of 100. The UK average safety score is 79, suggesting that Willington may be perceived as less safe than many other areas in the country.
Crucially, data from 2024 indicates the mean police immediate response time in Willington is 17 minutes. This refers to incidents requiring an urgent and immediate police presence. However, the mean police priority response time is considerably longer, averaging 297 minutes. This longer timeframe suggests that while immediate threats are addressed relatively quickly, non-urgent matters may experience a delay in police attention.
It’s important to understand that response times can be influenced by a multitude of factors including call volume, resource availability, and the complexity of the incident. The 297-minute priority response time doesn't necessarily indicate a lack of police presence, but rather the demands placed on the constabulary and the resources available to respond to a wider range of issues. Further investigation into the reasons behind the higher crime rate and longer priority response times would require direct engagement with Durham Constabulary and local community stakeholders.