Police Scotland Argyll & Bute Performance Summary Report - Reporting Period: April 2024 - December 2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 6 March 2025
Back to Community Services Committee — 6 March 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 OFFICIAL x Argyll & Bute Performance Summary Report Reporting Period: April 2024 to December 2024 Total Crime 87 Crimes Incidents Recorded Overall Dishonesty Domestic Abuse Incidents +10.4% +0.5% +3.5% +7.8% +3.5% -26.6%* Road Deaths and Serious Injuries -18.2%* Sexual Crime -1724*PYTD, -1342*5YR AVG +53*PYTD, +118*5YR AVG +3*PYTD, +73*5YR AVG +17*PYTD, +4*5YR AVG +58*PYTD, +172*5YR AVG +6*PYTD, +5*5YR AVG -17*on PYTD -290*PYTD Violent Crime Missing People Counter Terrorism -5*PYTD -4.7%* -20*PYTD, -17*5YR AVG Common Assault -30.3% Housebreaking Disorder Complaints The National Terrorism Threat level is SUBSTANTIAL This means that an attack is likely. *PYTD = Previous Year to Date *5YR = 5 year average -1.7% -10.2%
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL SECTION PAGE NUMBER Introduction 2 Executive Summary 3 Demand Analysis 4 Acquisitive Crime 5 Public Protection 6 Road Safety 7 Serious Organised Crime 8 Violence 9 Antisocial Behaviour 10 Public Confidence - Complaints & Allegations 11 Introduction I am pleased to present this performance summary report to Committee for its information and consideration. The Reporting Period for this report is cumulative for Quarters 1 to 4 of 2024/25, with available figures being shown from 1st April 2024 through to 31st December 2024. Please note that all data included in this report is management information and not official statistics. All data is sourced from Police Scotland internal systems and are correct as of date of publication. Unless stated otherwise numerical comparisons are against the previous year to date and the previous five year average for the same data period specified. Crimes and offences are grouped under recognised categories for statistical purposes. The Scottish Government defines these categories, as follows: Group 1 - Non Sexual Crimes of Violence Group 6 - Miscellaneous Offences Group 2 - Sexual Crimes Group 7 - Offences relating to motor vehicles Group 3 - Crimes of Dishonesty PYTD - Previous Year to Date Group 4 - Fire Raising, Malicious Mischief CYTD - Current Year to Date Group 5 - Other (pro activity) Crimes
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL PRIORITY AREA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Acquisitive Crime At the end of December 2024, acquisitive crimes show a marginal change of 0.5%, increasing from 631 to 634 crimes. Increases in shoplifting and fraud crimes have been offset by a reduction in reports of housebreaking and common thefts. Public Protection Group 2 sexual crimes have increased by 3.5% (+6) compared to last year. This is due to a slight increase in indecent images/comms offences while the number of rape crimes and sexual assaults have seen marginal change from 34 to 36 crimes and 63 to 64 respectively. Road Safety & Road Crime Overall, there continues to be a reduction in the number of casualties involved in road traffic collisions within Argyll and Bute compared to last year. The number of fatal road traffic collisions within Argyll and Bute has reduced marginally by 1 as at the end of December 2024 from 8 to 7. Road traffic collisions involving serious and slight injuries have also reduced from 57 to 41 and 71 to 62 respectively. Serious Organised Crime At the end of December 2024, drug supply offences have increased by 33.3% compared to the previous year, whilst possession charges have continued to see a slight reduction from 337 to 307 crimes. Across Argyll & West Dunbartonshire, 16 persons linked to serious and organised crime (SAOC) have been arrested and £2,595,658 seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). Violence & ASB At the end of December 2024, Group 1 crimes of violence have increased with 798 crimes compared to 740 the previous year to date, while anti-social behaviour (ASB) related crimes have also risen by 12.5% from 690 to 776. 1. Acquisitive Crime 2. Public Protection 3. Road Safety & Road Crime 4. Serious Organised Crime 5. Violence & Anti-social behaviour ARGYLL & BUTE POLICING PRIORITIES 2023-2026
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL CRIME PYTD CYTD INCIDENTS PYTD CYTD Total Crimes & Offences 5218 5131 Total number of incidents 16,846 15,122 DEMAND ANALYSIS - * PYTD - PREVIOUS YEAR TO DATE CYTD - CURRENT YEAR TO DATE * * * * The total volume of crimes and offences recorded within Argyll and Bute has decreased by 1.7% from the previous year but is slightly above the previous 5 year average (4986). Despite the overall reduction in crime levels there have been notable increases in both crimes of violence (+7.8%) and anti-social offences (+12.5%). Group 2 sexual crimes and acquisitive crimes have remained relatively consistent year on year while crimes against society and miscellaneous offences have experienced a reduction. Ongoing work around demand channelling calls to the right agency will be feeding into the 1724 reduction of recorded Police Incidents (calls for service)
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL ACQUISITIVE CRIME Shoplifting crimes have increased by 14% with 183 crimes recorded compared to 160 the previous year, the figure remains above the previous 5-year average (109.2), which is in line with the national position. The detection rate has remained consistent at 69.9% (+0.6%), however in number terms 15 more crimes have been detected. Housebreaking crimes have seen a reduction from 66 to 46 at the end of Qtr 3 compared to last year. This is largely due to a 37% decrease in housebreaking’s at domestic dwellings (-13 crimes). The detection rate for housebreaking has increased from 22.7% to 28.3%. Fraud crimes have increased slightly in Argyll and Bute compared to last year, from 143 to 152 crimes. This is primarily due to an increase in frauds involving bank account takeovers/compromises (+15). The detection rate for fraud has increased from 15.4% to 26.3%. Perpetrators of such offences are generally based out with the UK. The increase in shop thefts is in part driven by crimes recorded across Helensburgh and Lomond. Over the last three months we have seen a clear spike in shoplifting crimes with supermarkets targeted. This is however in line with a rise in this crime type across the West of Scotland. A number of these crimes have been attributed to a travelling group of young persons who have been targeting many supermarkets across the West. We are working closely with our analysts, British Transport Police and other policing divisions to share information and evidence to identify those responsible. Our detection rates this year (from April) is sitting at 70% and we continue to engage with the COPFS and the courts to ensure the community impact of these crimes are being realised. Our Preventions Team, Youth Engagement Officer and local policing teams are all providing support to impacted supermarkets and businesses within the local community. They are available to visit businesses and residents to provide crime prevention advice should it be requested. We remain determined to reduce the impact of acquisitive crime locally and we will continue to thoroughly investigate all reports. Bespoke Fraud engagements are being undertaken across the Division, with every Community Council offered opportunity to have an input, as well as hard to reach communities having fraud surgeries to compliment detailed newsletters (currently taking place on the Isle of Mull – where the Community Council and local officers are working to tackle the issue together). Coupled with this are regular advisory reminders circulated through the press and social media channels and inputs into community groups by the Community Engagement Team. As a result of the above, increased education regarding this crime type is fuelling stronger reporting.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Our detection rates for sexual assault are strong and the upward curve exemplifies the work ongoing to strengthen our response to gender-based-violence and to get it right first time for the victim. Part of what is feeding both the heightened detection rate and up-turn in crime/incident conversion rate in domestic abuse incidents is our own internal auditing process. By scrutinising domestic violence calls each morning we’re able to ensure that all opportunities to support our victims and better prosecute offenders are progressed, leading to increased public confidence and crime recording and sentencing (a recent offender receiving 12 yrs for rape). The Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit, that helps to coordinate best practice in these investigations, has oversight and engagement with all cases in the division to ensure a consistent, multiagency approach to this crime type. Missing person reports are resource intensive for Policing when they come in. The work that has to be undertaken both on the ground and within the office undertaking various checks and searches has the risk of impacting on other key service delivery priorities. As such, we work hard with other agencies to help mitigate the risk factors that lead to missing persons, be it dementia/Alzheimer related, utilising the Herbet Protocol, working together to strengthen care plans, or reviewing the suitability of living conditions for young persons. Direct engagement with partners, combined with constructive challenge, is permitting timely resolution of repeat missing persons. At the end of Qtr 3, Group 2 crimes show a slight increase of 3.5% with 177 crimes recorded compared to 171 (+6) in the same period last year. The increase is due to a slight rise in crimes relating to indecent images/communications from 48 to 54 crimes (+6) the majority of which have been committed online. Both rape and sexual assault crimes have seen marginal change. Approximately 91% of rape crimes occurred in a private setting and 94% were committed by persons known to the victim (with 23 being domestic related). Sexual assaults were largely split 50/50 in terms of public/private space with 91% of crimes also being committed by persons known to the victim. 36% related to non-recent reports. The detection rates for both rape crime and sexual assault have increased 29.4% to 44.4% and 49.2% to 60.9% respectively, year on year. Domestic abuse incidents have increased slightly compared to last year from 492 to 509, while the number of crimes recorded has also seen a considerable rise from 320 to 525. The crime/incident conversion rate has also increased by 4.6% from 55.1% to 59.7%. A total of 101 missing person reports had been recorded within Argyll and Bute at end of December 2024, which is a slight reduction of 4.7% from last year (-6). MP reports relating to adults have reduced from 71 to 56 (-15), while reports relating to children and children in care have seen a marginal increase year on year. PUBLIC PROTECTION
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL At the end of Qtr 3, the number of fatal RTC’s recorded Argyll and Bute had reduced marginally from 8 to 7 year on year. Additionally, both serious and slight injuries have also seen a reduction from 57 to 41 (-16) and 71 to 62 (-9), respectively. Road traffic offences have also seen a reduction of 8.8% in Argyll and Bute from 1731 to 1579 (-152) with the majority of crime times experiencing a decrease compared to the same period last year. Road Traffic Casualties 2023/24 2024/25 Number of persons killed on our roads 8 7 Number of persons seriously injured 57 41 Number of persons slightly injured 71 62 Number of children seriously injured 5 0 The work ongoing by our Road Policing Division in tandem with Local Policing assets has helped to reduce the number of people injured on Argyll’s roads, bucking the national trend. Though those killed in road traffic incidents has, unfortunately, remained stable. Speeding and driving complaints remain prevalent across Argyll & Bute. With communities on the A83 and A85 linking with MSPs to express their concern about speeding and measures to tackle it. Police Scotland continues to liaise positively with these reports, seeking to directly address any factors that we can positively influence, i.e. enforcement opportunities, whilst also linking with and supporting the Department of Transport in developing solutions to identified hotspots. Our primary measures to address road safety include speed checks, high visibility patrols (stopping and checking cars committing offences) and working in conjunction with the Camera Safety Partnership. Speed checks are intelligence led, focusing on problem areas, giving a deterrent factor weeks after they have been undertaken as drivers recognise localities that might have a Police presence. This helps to support community concerns through direct action and prevention and intervention work. In LD, one such initiative involved proactive speed checks carried out across the area between 01/11/2024 and 20/01/2025, resulting in 39 drivers being issued with fines or reported with speeding offences. In the same period for that area, our national festive Drink Driving Campaign was running which resulted in 8 drivers being stopped who were found to be unfit to drive. We are also aware that the removal of the average speed camera on the A82 has resulted in a few queries to our elected members. The Safety Camera Unit have confirmed that they will resume enforcing via their mobile vans along this stretch of the A82. They are also hopefully that these cameras will be reintroduced in the summer as a result in the increase in seasonal traffic. Our Preventions Team are proactive on our social media streams to make sure that we are fully engaging with our communities to maximise our footprint by providing advice and guidance to influence road users. The preventions team are planning a number of road safety roadshows in the coming months which were well received in 2024. Further, to this the Preventions Team have set up Community Road Safety Hubs across Argyll, run in conjunction with the Advanced Driver Institute. This initiative helping to educate drivers on risks and standards required for vehicles, helping to deliver better driving standards amongst key groups in the area. ROAD SAFETY AND ROAD CRIME
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Across Argyll & West Dunbartonshire, 16 persons linked to serious and organised crime have been arrested and £2,595,658 has been seized under POCA since 1st April 2024. At the end of December 2024, drugs supply charges show an increase of 33.3% compared to last year from 24 to 32 crimes, which is also slightly above the previous 5-year average (28.6). Drug possession charges have seen an 8.9% reduction from 337 to 307 and are also 3.6% below the previous 5-year average (318). The drop in possession related charges is an expected correlation when seeing an increase in supply charges as, if not charged with supply, the default charge would be possession (as supply relates to ‘possession with intent’ to supply). The change has been fuelled by enhanced intelligence support to help drive forward collation and review of intelligence to an end product, i.e. warrants, which are then executed by our CID/LPA assets. Recent examples of this in practice in the past 3 months include 31 grams of Cocaine recovered from Oban following a warrant execution, and on Rothesay, where a significant amount of suspected cannabis edibles were recovered, both resulting in supply charges for the parties involved. Police Scotland is aware of the connected crimes that stem from drug activity in the communities we serve, be it serious assaults, acquisitive crime or domestic abuse. This is why we endeavour to keep a firm drive on proactive Policing methods to address the impact of it. One such method is Operation Buddleia, which will commence again in Argyll in the early spring, being based in and around Oban, Campbeltown and Mull. Working closely with Border Force resources will be patrolling the West coast targeting and developing intelligence relating to organised criminality, which will include drug supply and trafficking. SERIOUS & ORGANISED CRIME
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL VIOLENCE Whilst the number of recorded serious assaults have reduced based on the same time scales last year, we have seen a rise in common assaults across the area, particularly against emergency service personnel, where we have recorded an increase of 70%. The festive quarter often sees a rise in this type of criminality owing to increased alcohol consumption at public events and heightened Police presence to counter the impact of this. Attacks on emergency services personnel are unacceptable, but we continue to work with staff to ensure they have sufficient training and support to make sure they are serving the community with confidence and the appropriate skills. We further support staff impacted by such attacks through welfare focused tools such as TRiM and other welfare options delivered through our Employee Assistance Programme. In explaining figures, it is important to note that heighted domestic assaults will not necessarily correlate with heighted victim numbers. Where a victim comes forward for the first time, reporting a history of different instances, these might necessitate being recorded separately, i.e. 8 crimes coming from the 1 report. This can give a false perception of increase in the figures. Crimes of violence occurring within Argyll and Bute have risen by 7.8% from 740 to 798 (+58) year on year with the current figure also 27% above the previous 5-year average (626). Crimes were largely spilt 50/50 in terms of public and private space however approx. 56% of those occurring in a public space were committed by persons known to the victim. Much of the increase in crimes of violence is due to an increase in common assaults (+53) and common assaults on police and emergency workers (+16). Assaults were largely spilt 50/50 in terms of public/private space and in approx. 67% of public space crimes offenders were known to the victim. The increase in crimes is largely due to a rise in domestic related assaults (+32) and disputes between friends/neighbours (+8). The increase in assaults on police and emergency workers is due to slight increases in Rothesay (+13) and Dunoon (+9) compared to the PYTD. The detection rate for crimes of violence overall remains fairly consistent at 68.9% compared to 70.4% last year, however in number terms an additional 29 crimes have been detected.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Across the recording period the number of ASB related incidents in Argyll and Bute have reduced by approx.13.7% (-272) compared to last year. Group 6 crimes, which include ASB related offences have increased by 12.5% with 776 crimes recorded compared to 690 the previous year. This is largely attributable to a rise in breach the peace/threatening and abusive behaviour (+33) and alcohol related offences (+20). ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR Over the course of the festive period, we provided high visibility patrols throughout our villages and towns, with bespoke patrol plans targeting ASB hotspots and problem individuals/groups. We supported Christmas fayres and community events during the day and at night we provided a high visibility presence in hot spot areas providing reassurance and support to our nighttime economy. Part of this included heighted licensing checks to ensure our local licensees were aware of their obligations and their part to play in maintaining community safety. We continue to target problematic householders who cause misery to neighbours and communities. We work in partnership with housing providers, Argyll & Bute Council and Social Work services to mediate, resolve and where it is possible, deter further escalation. The method by which we do this has recently changed, from general ASB Boards (for MAKI and OLI) including all housing providers, to targeted meetings where providers advise of the methodologies they have utilised to address the issue first, as landlords, evidencing proportionate steps prior to Police bringing their powers to bear. The past quarter saw no areas escalated by Community Councils or elected members of concern. Though we acknowledge, as we move into Spring and Summer traditional hotspots will be liable to come to our attention, as the better weather draws in visitors and more people outside. Organisationally, we are already planning for this, drawing up Summer Patrol Plans ahead of time, to implement as required – one such area that we will be reviewing is Taynuilt Pier, which is being raised through elected members, though not routinely reported by the local community. Our Stop Search levels have remained steady, with the correlation with positive searches maintaining confidence in proportionality of such stops. Every search is reviewed by both supervisors and the Stop Search Administration Team to ensure the rights of the individual are not compromised. The searches in our area are overwhelmingly undertaken under Misuse of Drugs Act powers, helping to drive the returns that we have previously seen in the Serious and Organised Crime section.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL PUBLIC CONFIDENCE: COMPLAINTS & USER SATISFACTION Overall satisfaction with Police Scotland User Satisfaction results show that locally, public confidence levels remain high within Argyll and West Dunbartonshire with overall satisfaction levels at 70.1%, which remains in line with the position in 2022/23. Useful Links/Contacts • Argyll and Bute Communtiy Directory - https://abcd.scot/ including warm spaces information • Crimestoppers – Crimestoppers in Scotland | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) 0800 555 111 • Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime – www.scottishparc.co.uk • Women’s Aid - Home - Women's Aid (womensaid.org.uk) • Citizens Advice – 0808 164 6000 • Argyll and Bute Council Trading Standards – 01546 605 519 • Argyll and Bute Council – https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/my-council/how-contact-us • Transport Scotland – road related incidents and road closures - https://www.traffic.gov.scot/traffic-information/incidents • Scottish Water - https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Contact-Us 0800 0778 778 • NHS24 (including mental health support) – 111 or https://www.nhsinform.scot/ Total of 428 responses Numerous factors feed into satisfaction from the community, from the service we deliver to less tangible factors like 101 and 999 waiting times and whether the communities we serve feel their voices are heard. Currently Police Scotland takes about 9.5 seconds to answer 999 calls and 2.49 minutes to answer 101. We continue to review ways in which to drive this performance. Further, in LB area, C/Insp Page has started a review of our Community Council engagement, seeking better attendance and data recording to understand how we are serving these vital parts of our communities; what concerns are they voicing and how are we, as a service, meet the needs they raise. Local Policing News: The only change since the last reports is PI Karen MacLennan being undertaken maternity leave, leading to PI Matt Shaw temporarily undertaking her role for the duration of her absence as Chief Insp Page’s depute. 70% Satisfied/Very Satisfied