North Rhine-Westphalia became safer once again in 2019. The number of crimes recorded in the police crime statistics fell by 4.3% in 2019 to 1,227,929 (1,282,441). This is the lowest figure for 30 years. 654,798 cases were cleared up by the police, which corresponds to a clearance rate of 53.3%. This is the second-best figure ever recorded, surpassed only by last year (53.7%). The police registered fewer violent crimes (-2.4%) and street crime (-6.8%) in 2019. "Our zero-tolerance strategy is working. The consistency of the police officers is being noticed on the street. And this is reflected in the figures, especially for the crimes that shape people's sense of security," said Interior Minister Herbert Reul.
The number of domestic burglaries in North Rhine-Westphalia fell to 26,857 cases (-10.2 percent) in 2019, after almost 25 percent fewer burglaries had already been registered in 2018. "The police's strategic focus on crime has taken full effect here. This is an enormous success, which is all the more remarkable because North Rhine-Westphalia is actually a perfect field of activity for burglary gangs. With good highway connections that enable a quick approach or escape, with large conurbations, a dense population and anonymity in numerous large cities," says Reul. For the second year in a row, however, the police have registered an increase in homicides. There were 412 cases in the past year. That's 30 more than in 2018. "Even though in around 75% of cases it remained an attempt and we have a clearance rate of around 96% in this area of crime, every single one of these crimes leaves an incredible amount of pain for victims and relatives," said Reul.
During his presentation, the minister also addressed the development in cases of child pornography and child abuse. The police focused on this area last year following the events in Lügde. In 2019, 2,805 cases of child sexual abuse were recorded, 383 cases more than in the previous year, an increase of 15.8 percent. The clearance rate was 83.7%, the highest in the last 20 years, and a total of 2,131 suspects were identified. In the area of child pornography, 2,359 cases were recorded last year, 947 cases more than in the previous year (+ 67.1 percent). 2,199 cases were solved, which corresponds to a rate of 93.2 percent. "It can be summed up as follows: We are investigating more, so we are finding more. This is real progress, because we are clearing up the dark field that is always talked about. But I believe that we have found a way to combat these terrible crimes. The goal can only be that every perpetrator must be afraid of being caught at all times," said Reul.
The crime statistics show an increase of 1.6 percent in offenses against the Narcotics Act. At 68,872 offenses, this is the highest level in the last 20 years. The increase mainly relates to cannabis and cocaine. "We need to pay more attention to this issue again. We are also talking about 292 drug-related deaths last year, 52 more than in 2018. This figure should make it clear that there is nothing to trivialize about this issue," said the minister.
Reul was also critical of the development in the area of foreigner crime. Of the 447,847 suspects last year, 154,389 people did not have a German passport. That was around a third of all suspects. However, the proportion of foreigners in the total population of the country is only 13.3 percent. Immigrants - i.e. asylum seekers, people entitled to asylum, people who are tolerated and quota refugees - account for 8.5 percent of all suspects. In the case of violent crime, their share is even higher at around 12.7 percent, although their share of the total population is only around 2.5 percent. "This data is the basis for police action. And we need it in order to have a social debate about what we can do to change this disparity. This is about law enforcement and pressure, but also about integration, socialization, education and participation. However, anyone who uses this data to incite hatred and prejudice against foreigners should be ashamed of themselves," said Reul.
