Police say the long-term trend shows crime in Bermuda is decreasing with the overall number of offences the lowest since 2000.The Bermuda Police Service today released its crime statistics for the last quarter of 2011 and overall numbers for last year. The full report is attached at the end of this story.The report says:* All crime offences in Q4 2011 totaled 1,165, an increase of 8.3 percent when compared to Q3 2011, and is the seventh lowest quarterly figure since 2000. All crime offences in 2011 totaled 4,371, a decrease of 4.5 percent when compared to 2010, making 2011 the lowest yearly figure from comparative available records (from 2000).* There were an average of 84 offences a week in 2011 compared to 104 offences a week in 2007, reinforcing the view that the long term trend of all crime in Bermuda is decreasing.* There were five fatalities and 11 injuries by firearms in 2011. This compares to seven fatalities and 29 injuries by firearms in 2010 and four fatalities and 13 injures by firearms in 2009. This brings the total number of persons shot since the dramatic increase of firearm incidents in 2009 to 2011 to 69, 16 of which have been fatal shootings.* There was a substantial decrease in year-on-year firearm incidents with 124 in 2011 compared to 198 in 2010, with the largest decrease in unconfirmed firearms incidents. There were 50 forensically confirmed firearm incidents in 2011 compared to 71 in 2010 and 38 in 2009.The 50 confirmed firearm incidents in 2011 included the recovery of ten firearms. In comparison, there were seven firearms recovered in 2010 and one firearm recovered in 2009.Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva said there was currently a lull in gun crime, adding: “I think the message to the community would be that this is a lull clearly and I don't want to put my mouth on it and then tomorrow we have something tragic, but there has clearly been a lull in firearms crime.“Now is not the time to ease up on law enforcement and we don't plan to. But now is also the time to increase the activity around community intervention, community programmes and all the other things that are needed at the front end of this problem to make a difference.”He added: "You've seen a combination of different things, you're seeing a community that's coming together and saying gangs just don't work here, we are not putting up with this, you're seeing law enforcement being applied like never before and you're seeing cross-agency cooperation whether its government, private sector, health agencies just more galvanisation and cooperation across the entire spectrum.“While there's a lot that you can do around enforcement you cannot enforce your way, you cannot arrest your way out of this gang problem. But similarly you can't legislate your way out of the problem either, so the answer really relies on the front end community work. And we're seeing more and more examples of that everyday in the media, and I think the Bermuda community gets it and I think it shows in the results.“I'm just the person who brings the teams together and they come up with ideas and run with it. But I think the wider message for the community is look what happens when we all get together and put our efforts in the same direction. These are not police results, these are Bermuda community results.”* Crimes against the person, crimes against property and crimes against the community all decreased in 2011 compared to 2010.Crimes against the person offences in Q4 2011 increased by 12.9 percent compared to Q3 2011. When compared to the same period last year (Q4 2010), Q4 2011 has increased by three offences or 1.7 percent. The total for Q4 2011 was 184 and the total for 2011 was 721.Despite an increase in Q4 2011, caused by an increase in other assaults, the 10.3 percent year on year decrease, reinforces the view that the long term trend of crimes against the person is decreasing.* Arrests which refer to people arrested and brought into police custody in Q4 2011 decreased by 137 or 13.3 percent compared to Q4 2010. The total for Q4 2011 was 896 and the total for 2011 was 4,540. Of the 4,540 people arrested in 2011, 3,827 were male and 713 were female.Analysis of people arrested by age revealed that in 2011 there were 1,330 individuals arrested between the ages of 26 to 35 compared to the next most frequently arrested age group of 18 to 25 years with 1,254.Of the 4,540 people arrested in 2011, 4,160 were Bermudian and 380 were foreign nationals. The most common arrested foreign nationals were American (152), Jamaican (61), British (30) and Azores (24). The majority of individuals arrested in 2011 were black (4,009), with 436 individuals being white.* Crimes against the community offences in Q4 2011 decreased by 34 offences or 16.7 percent compared to Q3 2011. When compared to the same period last year (Q4 2010), Q4 2011 has decreased by 19 offences or by 10.1 percent. The total for Q4 2011 was 170 and the total for 2011 was 789.Q4 2011 is the lowest quarterly figure since 2007, due to the decrease in antisocial behaviour which decreased from 145 in Q3 2011 to 121 in Q4 2011. Despite these decreases, the long-term trend of crimes against the community remains slightly upwards.* Crimes against property offences in Q4 2011 increased by 102 offences or 14.4 percent compared to Q3 2011. When compared to the same period last year (Q4 2010), Q4 2011 has increased by 116 offences or 16.7 percentQ4 2011 has increased due to burglary (residential) increasing from 125 in Q3 2011 to 209 in Q4 2011. Despite this increase, the long-term trend of crimes against property remains downwards.* An estimated total of 27kg of controlled drugs with an estimated street value of $3.1 million was seized in Q4 2011 with cannabis being the most common drug with 14.5kg seized at a value of $728,000. Cocaine was the next most common drug seized in Q4 2011 with 7.7kg seized at a value of $1.8 million.An estimated total of 351kg of controlled drugs with an estimated street value of $52 million was seized in 2011 with cocaine being the most common drug with 167.3 Kg seized at a value of $39.3 million. The level of cocaine is unusual and is related to the seizure of a vessel in August 2011. Cannabis was the next most common drug seized in 2011 with 108.6kg seized at a value of $5.4 million.* Traffic collisions in Q4 2011 decreased by 29 or 5.8 percent compared to Q3 2011. When compared to the same period last year (Q4 2010), Q4 2011 has decreased by 80 or 14.6 percent. The total for Q4 2011 was 468 and the total for 2011 was 1,955.* What do you think do the streets feel safer? E-mail news[AT]royalgazette.bm