I must be unusual in having reported three or four crimes via the website in the last couple of years (all involving bicycle theft). Seemed to work well.

"In the period between January 2006 and February 2007 totals of 52,321 non-emergency and 2,827 hate crime incidents were reported."

50,000 in only a month? That's not "NOT WELL USED" by any stretch of the imagination.

What they really mean is that the 50,000 crimes reported had little chance of being investigated, so were only serving to worsen the crime statistics.

Perhaps the police should have used a Slashdot/Digg-style system whereby viewers of the site could vote on the contents. There would be an arrangement whereby the police would not investigate a hate crime until it had received a hundred positive votes from users of the site.

Hate crimes that fail to resonate with the site's users would be dealt with via a simple form e-mail, e.g. "This is the police. please stop hating killer4hire on World of Warcraft. And give him back his Bag of Holding. Yours, the police."

the fact of its existence.

As for:

[quote]

"In the period between January 2006 and February 2007 totals of 52,321 non-emergency and 2,827 hate crime incidents were reported."

50,000 in only a month? That's not "NOT WELL USED" by any stretch of the imagination.

[/quote]

I think perhaps you are missing a digit....

When did this get put online? If only the government and police had mentioned that this site existed, I could've reported those 20+ people who go past my house every day using their mobile phones while driving.

And that kid who scratched four cars the other night.

And the girl who stood in the phone box opposite shouting at her boyfriend over the phone for three hours.

Bring back the website. I want to report crime!!! I'll happily be the neighbourhood Victor Meldrew if it means these people are sorted out!

I had no clue that this site existed and a suspect the the police authorirty had no clue we had no clue. I suggest they bring it back and maybe tell a few people!!!!!!!!!