Shadow Public Safety Minister Walter Roban has celebrated falling crime rates as the result of years of effort by successive administrations.

Police statistics released last week revealed that the crime rates have fallen to their lowest point in almost 15 years, with ten percent fewer crimes in the second quarter of 2014 than in the same period last year.

In a statement released yesterday, Mr Roban said statistics showed the downward trend of crime has continued for four years — not just the 18 months that the OBA has been in power — and noted that last week’s police briefing had called the drop the result of ongoing cooperation between the public, the police and the Government.

“These facts validate efforts over successive administrations to provide more funding to the police, increased manpower, expanded training, expanding community action activities, expanded use of modern technology and the growth of neighbourhood watch groups,” Mr Roban said. “None of these alone could have created this downward trend.

“Together these actions taken by the Bermuda Police Service, the community and the government have assisted in the four-year downward trend in overall crime stats. This has not been simply an 18 month shift but the result of consecutive years of work that has brought about these promising results.

“The community and all involved should be pleased, but not given a false sense of assurance. The ongoing jobs crisis, in particularly youth unemployment will create a greater need for community cooperation and a need for our youth to continue choosing positive alternatives such as entrepreneurship, personal and professional development.

“Collectively and cooperatively, we can continue this downward trend in crime stats.”

A total of 750 crimes were reported on the Island between April and June, the lowest quarterly figure since 2000. While the quarter included one murder — the fatal shooting of Erin Richardson — crimes against persons dropped a massive 35 percent on the same period last year, down from 167 in 2013 to 108 this year.

Reported incidents of crimes against property dipped from 527 last year to 517 this year, while crimes against the community fell from 140 in the second quarter of 2013 to 125 in the same period this year.