Durham Constabulary provides policing services to the areas of County Durham and Darlington. The police force area covers 936 square miles with approximately 15 miles of coastline in the north east of England. Although there are some highly affluent areas, Durham has a high level of poverty. Around 0.6 million people live in a predominantly rural setting. The area includes the city of Durham and the town of Darlington as well as several smaller towns. The resident population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit or travel through the area each year.
HMICFRS independently assesses police forces and policing across activity from neighbourhood teams to serious crime and the fight against terrorism – in the public interest.
In preparing our reports, we ask the questions which citizens would ask, and publish the answers in accessible form, using our expertise to interpret the evidence. We provide authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their force against others, and our evidence is used to drive improvements in the service to the public.
Force Area |
936 square miles | |
Population |
0.62m people | 5% local 10 yr change |
Workforce |
73% frontline | 78% national level |
| 3.4 per 1000 population | 3.6 national level | |
| 18% change in local workforce since 2010 | 15% national change since 2010 |
Victim-based crimes |
0.05 per person | 0.06 national level |
| Local 5 year trend (no change) | National 5 year trend (no change) |
Cost |
51p per person per day local | 55p per person per day national |
Ron Hogg
Chief Constable Michael Barton QPM, appointed in February 2013
