Na Pfrc Q4 2024_25_V1_Ck
North Ayrshire Council · 16 June 2025
Back to Police and Fire and Rescue Committee — 16 June 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 1 North Ayrshire Performance Summary Report - Q4 2024/25 Reporting Period: 01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025 Total Crime 11,688 Crimes 0.8% Incidents Recorded 37,492 0.1%* 9.1% 1,711 Violence/Homicide (excl. Robbery) Drug Supply 27.4% 93 Sexual Crime 9.7% 347 15.3%~ 151 Hate Crime ASB 7,039 Domestic Abuse 3.6%~ 1,102 Acquisitive Crime -1.4% 2,456 Robbery -13.6% 33 Speeding -25.3% 332 Drink/Drug Driving 35.1% 281 Note: All percentage figures are based on the 5-year average with all data based on Management Information which may be subject to change. *3-yr Average provided -18.2% Serious Injury & Fatal Accidents^ 29/3 -39.6%/-25.0% ^ Change from PYTD 5 year average not available ~Domestic Abuse and Hate Crime were previously counted on VPD, now on UNIFI therefore 5-yr average is an indication only
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 2 Introduction This document has been compiled to look at the quarterly data available for North Ayrshire. The report is based on the areas of focus identified within the Local Policing Plan agreed with the Local Authority. The ‘Plan on a Page’ document is available on Page 3, this provides details of the areas Police Scotland have agreed to report on. The following list of contents provides an overview of the items included in this report: TOPIC SECTION PAGE Local Policing Plan Plan on a Page 3 Serious Crime Violence/Homicide Drug Supply Robbery 4 5 6 Violence Against Women and Girls Domestic Abuse Rape & Sexual Assault 7 8 Safer Communities ASB Hate Crimes Acquisitive Crime 9 10 11 Road Safety Drink/Drug Driving and Serious Injury & Fatal Accidents 12 Public Confidence User Satisfaction Survey Complaints 101 Performance Taser Use 13 14 15 16 Glossary of Terms 17
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 3
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 4 SERIOUS CRIME—Violence/Homicide Local Action/Context: Violent Crime across North Ayrshire ended the year down on the previous year (-2.7%), however there have been an increase on the 5-year average of 9.1%. This increase is primarily due to the number of Common Assaults on Emergency workers. Serious Assaults ended the year with the same number of crimes as 2023/24 but lower than the 5- year average. Total Common Assaults decreased by 6.5% on last year and increased 7.1% on the 5-year average. Year end figures have fluctuated in recent years with 2023/24 being the peak. Common Assault of Emergency Worker (including Police) show a 22.7% increase on last year and a 27.7% increase on the 5-year average. This year has recorded the greatest volume since before 2019/20. There has been eight Attempt Murders this year with a 100% detection rate. The 5 murders include two Culpable Homicide crimes, both of which relate to a fatal road collision; all murders/culpable homicides are detected. Between 31st December 2024 and 31st March 2025 there have been 11 serious assaults and 2 attempted murders in North Ayrshire. Both attempted murders are detected and 8 of the 11 serious assaults are detected. The 3 undetected serious assaults are still live investigations. Location wise, these crimes were spread evenly across North Ayrshire towns with no specific area being problematic. With regards serious assaults there are no clear patterns or links out with national trends however there is an increased number taking place in the domestic relationship setting with 5 of the 11 being marked as domestic serious assaults. Police Scotland continues to work alongside our partners internally at Specialist Crime Division and externally with the COPFS and third sector support organisations (Fearless, ASSiST, etc) to support victims in crimes of violence and provide effective guidance and pathways. Furthermore, it must be recognised that significant crimes of violence remain at a historically low level nationally. In North Ayrshire policing remains focussed on close partnership working with local and national organisations to reduce violent crime levels for the communities of North Ayrshire. Violence towards our Emergency Service Workers continues to increase with a further 45 police officers assaulted in Q4, 15 of them having suffered injury. As such, the introduction of our officers wearing Body Worn Video (BWV) in early 2026 should show a notable reduction in violent behaviours, particularly towards police officers and other emergency service workers. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 5 SERIOUS CRIME—Drug Supply Local Action/Context: Overall Drug Supply charges have shown an increasing trend in North Ayrshire on both last year and the 5-year average. Cannabis Cultivations have decreased on the 5-year average but remain static when compared with 2023/24 (n=17). Possession charges have also noted an increase this year (up 20% on the previous year and 9.7% on the 5-year average) due to ongoing pro-activity across North Ayrshire. Proactivity remains the main focus and means by which these charges are obtained. Engagement with the local residents and Community groups across Ayrshire continues to provide intelligence information which can be developed to ensure we are focusing resources and action plans in the right areas at the right time. Officers across North Ayrshire, including specialist resources continue to proactively tackle drug supply by targeting individuals and groups involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs and are cognisant of the harm and impact that it perpetuates across our towns and villages. This focus is reflected in the increased number of drug supply charges libelled. We remain proactive in relation to information and intelligence regarding drug supply and the individuals involved. Developing this information / intelligence into enforcement action by our proactive crime team and local policing teams remains a priority. Between January and March 2025, notable recoveries include: · In January 2025 officers in North Ayrshire attended a property in Stevenston. During the search amphetamine, a firearm and ammunition were recovered. A male was arrested and charged in connection with the seizure. · In February 2025 officers in North Ayrshire assisted attended a property in Saltcoats. £5,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis were seized along with £1500 cash. Two males were arrested and charged in relation to drug supply. · In February 2025 responding to concerns from local residents officers in North Ayrshire attended an address in Irvine. A cannabis cultivation with over 200 plants was found within. The electricity meter had been bypassed, a male was arrested and charged. · In March 2025 officers from North Ayrshire attended an address in Largs. A male was arrested and charged with supplying heroin and cocaine. Several weapons were also seized from the property. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 6 SERIOUS CRIME—Robbery Local Action/Context: Robbery crimes across North Ayrshire have ended the year with a slight increase on the previous year, but below the 5-year average. The detection rate ended the year at 69.7% which is slightly below both last year and the 5-year average. As mentioned previously the High Street in Irvine has noted three crimes, whilst Guthrie Road in Saltcoats has recorded four crimes. Nineteen of the crimes have taken place within the home, with a physical assault being used against the victim in over half the crimes. Cash and mobile phones remain the most commonly acquired items. The victim knew the offender, in some capacity, in at least 57.6% of robberies so far this year. Three of the victims have been aged 70 or above; there have been two repeat offenders identified, one having committed three crimes and the other two crimes. During the Q4 period (1st January—31st March 2025) there were 8 reported robbery offences in North Ayrshire 6 of which were detected and 2 are currently ongoing live investigations. Further scrutiny of locations, circumstances and victims, show no specific patterns that can be identified. Robbery and crimes of violence continue to be a priority and Local Area Commanders alongside CID officers regularly scrutinise the circumstances to ensure any emerging trends are identified and managed quickly. With focus on victim support and offenders being identified and charged as soon as possible. Robberies can often emanate from a number of situations including antisocial behaviour, domestic incidents and perpetrators enticing victims to a location via social media. With this in mind we continue to educate and train our officers to recognise this and increase awareness when engaging with our North Ayrshire citizens. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 7 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & GIRLS—Domestic Abuse Local Action/Context: There has been a change in the reporting methods for Domestic crimes which means there is no means of doing a straight comparison due to the change in recording systems. Figures were previously taken from the Vulnerable Person Database, but from 1st April 2024 this changed and all Domestic figures are now calculated from the Crime Database (UNIFI). The chart provides an indication of the changes which have taken place and highlights the increases on the locally produced 5-year average (up approx. 3.6%). However, the overall Domestic figures recorded in 2024/25 are around 2.0% below the previous year. Non-recent crimes accounted for 11.6% of those reported. Incident data also showed a slight decrease (-1.6%) this year compared with 2023/24. To prevent individuals from being repeat victims and to deter offenders from re-offending we encourage the use of the Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland (DSDAS). This allows potential victims who may be in danger to be aware that a new partner may pose a risk. This is a carefully assessed process aimed at protecting vulnerable people. A DSDAS submission can be made by any member of the public where they are concerned. Between January and March 2025 56 submissions were made which is an increase on the last quarter. MARAC referrals were 51 during the same period with referrals remaining relatively stable. Training is planned with partners and the MARAC coordination team to ensure referrals reflect the appropriate levels of risk and are of sufficient quality. The specialist Adult Support and Protection officer attached to the North Ayrshire MARAC continues to make a valuable contribution to risk assessment and safeguarding. Ayrshire Division secured police funding for a stock of ring doorbells and mobile phones which have been divided between the three regional Women’s Aid groups and are to be provided to victims of violent crime to assist with safeguarding and safety planning, and to prevent and detect domestic crime. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data, VPD and UNIFI
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 8 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN & GIRLS—Rape & Sexual Assault Local Action/Context: Overall sexual offences in North Ayrshire recorded a 4.5% increase on 2023/24 and 9.7% increase on the 5-year average. Rape crimes in North Ayrshire ended the year on a par with the previous year but up on the 5- year average. Examination of these crimes shows that around 51% are non-recent crimes. A total of 34 crimes are Domestic related with a further eight being a family member (including step relatives). The detection rate ended the year above the 5-year average but below the previous year. Sexual Assaults have also noted an increase on both last year and the 5-year average. Just over 52% are non-recent, and at least ten of all sexual assaults were domestic related with a further 14 involving a family member (including step relatives). Detection rates were down on both the previous year and the 5-year average during 2024/25. This year there has been a total of 60 reported rapes in North Ayrshire which is the same as last year to date. 11 of these have occurred in Q4 (versus 18 in quarter 4 of last year.) This is an increase of 6 over the 5 year average which is 54. For context the previous year has shown a 20% increase in reported rape across the whole of Scotland. Sexual crimes reported have also increased from 124 last year to 132 this year. 20 of these incidents were reported in Q4. Supporting victims of sexual crime and ensuring our police officers and staff are properly trained to communicate empathetically and obtain vital information and evidence is key to this increase. The higher number of rape and sexual assault victims coming forward and engaging with police shows trust in not just policing, but in our judicial system in Scotland. A large proportion (around half) of these reports are historical and can often go back a number of years however increased reporting demonstrates an increased confidence throughout our communities who now feel able to report these crimes. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 9 SAFER COMMUNITIES—Antisocial Behaviour Local Action/Context: Anti-social behaviour (ASB) incidents across North Ayrshire ended the year with a decrease when compared with the previous year (down 2.8%). There was also a reduction of on the 5- year average of 18.2%. ASB incidents involving youths accounted for around 10.5%. Changes have also been made in the way crimes are being recorded to comply with Scottish Government Crime Recording Standards. As a result a crime group for ASB has now been included making it easier to identify crimes of this nature. These figures show that during 2024/25 there was an increase in the number of ASB crimes compared with the previous year (up 17.1%) and a decrease on the 5-year average (down 14.3%). The reduction in anti-social behaviour is positive and as we move from Q4 to Q1 of the following year (April—June 2025) we continue to focus resourcing on problematic locations. An increase in youth disorder in Irvine town centre has meant more targeted high visibility patrols in the area to try and discourage these behaviours and promote positive contact with police officers. Continued visits to our licensed premises offering advice on how to deal with issues arising from youth disorder or alcohol related anti-social behaviour has resulted in many more businesses engaging with police and being open to the suggestions provided to try and find a solutions to their identified issues. Looking forward, we have begun our Safer Shores campaign with partners earlier this year than previous years, commencing it in April. This was largely due to good weather meaning a high influx of crowds to the North Ayrshire coastline sooner than previous years. Our campus officers based at the nine secondary schools in North Ayrshire continue to work alongside education staff to identify the most vulnerable youngsters and to assist in building opportunities and pathways to prevent them from choosing crime and disorder. This has a positive effect on the young lives within our communities and builds constructive relationships with police meaning that out with school, disorder is less likely. Source: Taken from Management Performance and STORM Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 10 SAFER COMMUNITIES—Hate Crime Local Action/Context: It should be noted that Hate crimes are now being counted using the UNIFI Crime system rather than VPD where the figures came from previously (see Domestic section). This does mean direct comparisons are unlikely to be accurate. Based on the available information this would suggest that Hate crime across North Ayrshire has ended the year roughly on a par with 2023/24 (151 crimes recorded in 2024/25). The chart opposite highlights the fact that Racial crimes are the most commonly perpetrated hate crimes. The majority of these have involved members of the public rather than Police Officers. (Note: this chart includes all hate aggravators—more than one can apply to each crime.) There are at least 11 repeat victims of a hate crime in North Ayrshire; two were children targeted by other young persons. The majority of the crimes perpetrated against these individuals were racially motivated, however there were instances of Sexual orientation, Transgender and Religious crimes. There are currently 12 repeat locations, including Saltcoats Police Station, Largs Academy, two local stores and one public house as well as 7 residential properties. There are several other streets where more than one crime occurred but not at the same locus. Whilst in Q4, Hate Crime has continued to rise on the 5 year average at up 15.3% it is important to note that this is largely due to an increased confidence in our communities when it comes to reporting crimes and incidents of Hate. Through development, training and support to staff and officers we have an ongoing focus on increasing their skills meaning a reduction in the number of different police employees that reporters, victims and witnesses interact with. We support and encourage third-party reporting, providing a more consistent and supportive environment for victims to report hate crime and understand it is often difficult for those affected to come forward. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data, VPD and UNIFI
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 11 SAFER COMMUNITIES—Acquisitive Crime Local Action/Context: Overall there has been a decrease in Acquisitive crimes including decreases in Housebreaking, Common Theft and Shoplifting. However Fraud, Shoplifting and Other Thefts have recorded figures above the 5-year average. Whilst Vehicle Crime figures recorded a very slight increase on 2023/24 (up 0.6%), the figures this past year are well below those seen in previous years (5-year mean 242.0). A number of arrests earlier in the year have had a positive impact on the overall figures and the final detection rate remains above the 5-year average at 44.4%. Shoplifting crimes have been on an upward trend in recent years, however there has been a drop (down 3.5%) in the number of reported crimes this year but the figures remain the second highest since at least 2019/20 (up 32.5% on 5-year mean). However detection rates have increased in 2024/25 (72.6%). There are continued positive relationships between our Retail Crime Teams in the three towns (Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston) and in Irvine town centre. Daily engagement provides a deterrent to shoplifting as well as increasing and identifying significant detections. Detection rates have increased in the past year to 72.6% with notable arrests made including a prolific group arrested in Irvine with activity on a national scale. Police Scotland have invested in a National Retail Crime Unit to assist Local Policing Divisions to better understand where prevention opportunities lie. We are adopting a national approach which is proportionate and seeks to maximise prevention, and detection opportunities From an Ayrshire perspective our three Local Area Commanders engage daily along with analysts to identify trends across the Ayrshire local authority areas. Acquisitive crime is very often not localised to small areas and working with our communities and retail outlets to identify offenders and prevent theft is a divisional priority. Instances of Fraud remain on the increase, with cyber-enabled fraud being particularly prevalent. Fraud crimes show a 6.1% increase on the previous year and are 21.6% above the 5-year average. Ongoing engagement is being conducted through our Prevention and Interventions officer with regular awareness sessions provided, alongside North Ayrshire Council and other partners, to educate and safeguard those most vulnerable to fraudulent activity. As communities become more aware of cyber fraud activity, reporting will continue to increase. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 12 ROAD SAFETY Local Action/Context Overall Road Traffic Offences noted a decrease during 2024/25 when compared with the previous year (-13.7%) and on the 5-year mean (-1.1%). Crime figures involving Speeding currently indicate a decrease with a total of 332 reported, this is below the previous years total of 640 and the 5-year average of 513.0. It is notable, however, that crimes involving Driving under the Influence have continued to increase this year with a total of 281 reported, this is above the previous years total of 254 and the 5-year average of 208.0. In terms of Serious and Fatal Road Accidents —there were three Fatal Accidents in 2024/25 compared with four the previous year. There were 29 people seriously injured, which is a decrease of 19 compared to 2023/24; the 2024/25 figure includes four children seriously injured. The ability to detect drug driving offences relating to cannabis and cocaine has allowed for significant pro-activity in this regard seeing a vast increase in detections and offenders reported significantly contributing towards wider Road Safety priorities. The impact of the increase of drug driving offences is a likely explanation as to the reduction in speeding offence detections given the time taken by patrol officers to process and deal with persons identified for drug and drink driving. Road Policing colleagues in partnership with local policing continue to target high tariff offenders involved in drug supply and serious and organised crime. The last quarter saw National campaigns focussing on commercial vehicles. Local campaigns have also been carried out across North Ayrshire with partners from DVSA, Local authority and local policing. Driver awareness and road safety education for our road users in or passing through North Ayrshire remains a focus particularly throughout the summner months ahead. Source: Taken from Management Performance Data
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 13 PUBLIC CONFIDENCE—Survey Information User Experience - Current Position It should also be noted that the ‘Feeling adequately informed’ question changed in 2022/23 and only applies to those who stated they expected to be kept informed. The following data relates to responses from North Ayrshire for the period 1st April to 31st March 2025. Your Survey Local Action/Context: Your Police Survey remains open for all police and members of the public to provide their views on Policing in the local community. Local officers continue to promote engagement with Your Police Survey at all events and community engagements with regular broadcasts on media and social media platforms. Questions YTD Ayrshire YTD Female Male Number of Respondents 218 950 125 93 Ease of Contact? (% Easy and Very Easy) 73% 74% 78% 67% Being provided with the appropriate response? (% Yes) 70% 64% 71% 69% Feeling adequately informed about progress made with your report (% Yes) 61% 53% 66% 55% Overall Satisfaction? (% Satisfied or Very Satisfied) 74% 69% 75% 72% How safe do you feel in your local area? Total Re- spondents Very Safe Fairly Safe Total North 18.12% 59.29% 77.41% 425 Concern about Crime Total Re- spondents Increased a Lot Increased a Little Total North 23.17% 29.31% 52.48 425
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 14 PUBLIC CONFIDENCE—Complaints Against the Police NOTE : The information in these tables covers the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. Complaint Cases & Allegations Received Breakdown of Case Categories Breakdown of Allegations Breakdown of Quality of Service Allegation Types FLR (Early Resolution) FLR PSD (NCARU) FLR (Spec or PSD) Criminal Complaint Non Crim- inal (not FLR) Abandoned With- drawn Ongoing (NCARU) Not Rele- vant Com- plaint U DIVISION 1 183 4 28 105 48 21 1 0 North Ayrshire 0 53 2 9 28 13 5 0 0 TOTAL COMPLAINT CASES RECEIVED TOTAL NUMBER OF ALLEGATIONS RECEIVED YTD LYTD % CHANGE YTD LYTD % CHANGE U DIVISION TOTAL 391 419 -6.7% 652 614 6.2% North Ayrshire 110 126 -12.7% 191 175 9.1% Breakdown of Allega- tions Assault Corrupt Practice Discriminatory Behaviour Excess Force Incivility Irregularity in Procedure Neglect of Duty Oppressive Conduct/ Harassment Other - Criminal Non- Criminal Traffic Irreg- ularity/ Offence Unlawful Unnecessary Arrest or Detention U DIVISION 40 1 5 56 117 236 5 9 1 5 7 8 North Ayrshire 11 0 0 16 33 72 0 3 1 3 3 2 Quality of Service Policy/ Procedure Service Delivery Service Outcome U DIVISION TOTAL 35 54 73 North Ayrshire 15 18 14
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 15 PUBLIC CONFIDENCE—101 Performance 101 Performance and Information This section measures the average (mean) time to answer calls from the public, received via the 101 telephony system, within the reported period. This is National Information and not localised to North Ayrshire. 101 Demand Mitigation • People calling the non-emergency 101 service may sometimes have to wait longer to have their calls answered, as the emergency 999 service is always prioriised. • Seasonal fluctuations in demand on 101 and 999 or a high volume of calls to the priority emergency 999 service can result in longer wait times for the responses to non-emergency 101 calls. • Crucially, 101 callers are instructed to terminate the call and dial '999' in the event of an emergency or if the incident is escalating. • Callers to the 101 non-emergency line are also given the option of using the online Contact Us facility on the Police Scotland website and we have seen a rise in the use of this facility, with 130,000 email contacts recorded last year. • ContactUs enquiries are handled in the same way, by the same service advisers as a 101 call but means that the caller does not have to stay on the line for a response. • We also have online reporting forms available on the Police Scotland website which deal with a range of incidents including reporting lost property, and also enable people to report sensitive matters such as hate crime and harassment in confidence. • During periods of high demand a recorded message will be utilised to inform callers of delays in answering their call. Callers will also be provided with an anticipated wait time for their call to be answered. Month Average Speed of Answer No of calls Longest January 2025 2 min 25 secs 102,087 01:00:06 February 2025 3 min 33 secs 97,884 00:29:09 March 2025 3 min 47 secs 111,616 00:31:57
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 16 PUBLIC CONFIDENCE—Taser Use PS27 3 PS28 12 Total Incidents Attended 15 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 U-18s 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Subject Age Total Uses 5 Draw 2 Aimed 1 Red Dot 2 Fired 0 X2 Taser Use by North Ayrshire Specially Trained Officers (STOs) 1st January 2025 –31st March 2025 Note on Data This summary provides an insight into X2 Taser use by STOs in North Ayrshire for the stated period. It should be noted that this does not provide details of the incidents themselves. On 1 occasion alcohol was put down as a modifier and on 2 occasions drugs were put down as a modifier. There were no injuries toany persons at any of the 5 incidents where Taser was used. On 2 occasions weapons were presented at officers attending OFFICIAL Male 4 Female 1
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OFFICIAL—POLICE & PARTNERS 17 GLOSSARY OF TERMS Acronym Details ASB Anti-Social Behaviour ASBIT Anti-Social Behaviour Investigation Team CWU Community Wellbeing Unit CYTD Current Year to Date DAIU Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit DAST Domestic Abuse Safeguarding Team DRD Drug Related Deaths DSDAS Disclosure Scheme for Domestic Abuse Scotland NAC North Ayrshire Council FLR Front Line Resolution GIRFEC Getting It Right For Every Child HMP Her Majesty's Prison iVPD Interim Vulnerable Persons Database LPP Local Policing Plan LPT Local Policing Team LYTD Last Year to Date MARAC Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference NCARU National Complaints and Resolution Unit Non-Rec Non Recent (over one year from incident occurring) PACT Pro-Active Crime Team PSOS Police Service of Scotland PYTD Previous Year to Date QoS Quality of Service (relates to complaints) RADAR Rapid Access to Drug and Alcohol Recovery SARC Sexual Assault Referral Centre SFRS Scottish Fire and Rescue Service SWD Social Work Department VAWG Violence Against Women and Girls YTD Year to Date