CRIME in the Bristol area is still falling, according to the latest figures.

And as the number of victims has continued to decrease, Avon and Somerset constabulary has risen to fourth in the national rankings in terms of public satisfaction.

A report by Deputy Chief Constable Rob Beckley paints a generally rosy picture of the force's performance in 2011/12 so far.

Serious acquisitive crime – burglary, vehicle crime and robbery – fell 12 per cent on the previous year, translating to 1,700 fewer victims. In Bristol, that figure was even better, down 17 per cent.

DCC Beckley emphasised the importance of the force's integrated offender management (IMPACT) approach, which involves teamwork from a number of agencies to target and manage the most prolific criminals in the city.

In 2011/12, total recorded crime across the force has fallen 1.7 per cent (1,577 offences), meaning over the last decade the number of offences has dropped from about 180,000 to 110,000 per year.

Meanwhile, the overall detection rate has more than doubled since 2004 and is now at 35.1 per cent.

For serious violence detection rates (60.9 per cent), the force is 11th out of 43 police forces and for serious sexual offences (36.8 per cent) it is now ninth.

However, members of the authority heard there are two areas where the force has been well above the national average – public disorder and shop theft.

With three riots in Bristol in 2011, the number of public order offences recorded was about 50 per cent higher than the national average.

But DCC Beckley pointed out that the force includes "drunk and disorderly" charges in that bracket, whereas some other forces do not.

Shop theft was about a quarter higher than the national average.

According the British Crime Survey, Avon and Somerset is now fourth for "overall service satisfaction" out of 43 forces, compared to just 28th in March 2009.

The police authority also heard that out of the eight "core" cities in England and Wales, Bristol has the third lowest number of crimes per 1,000 people, despite the fact that Avon and Somerset police has fewer police per head of population, each dealing with more crimes, compared to the likes of Newcastle, Leeds and Sheffield.

DCC Beckley assured members that the force will not rest on its laurels, even in difficult times in terms of resources.

"We do recognise we could still do better," he said.

Chief Constable Colin Port added: "We do not strive to be mediocre."

But Lib Dem South Gloucestershire councillor Alan Lawrence warned: "I do ask you (members) to recognise that this cannot be sustained without resource."