Police Scotland Argyll & Bute Performance Summary Report - Reporting Period: Q1 April - June 2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 22 August 2024
Back to Community Services Committee — 22 August 2024 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 June 2024 Total Crime 480 Crimes Incidents Recorded Overall Dishonesty Domestic Abuse Incidents +9.4% +3.3% -11% +5.7% -13% -40%* Road Deaths and Serious Injuries -19.5%* Sexual Crime -830*PYTD, -495*5YR AVG +19*PYTD, +59*5YR AVG +7*PYTD, +28*5YR AVG -20*PYTD, -5*5YR AVG +14*PYTD, +61*5YR AVG -9*PYTD, +2*5YR AVG -10*on PYTD -114*PYTD Violent Crime Missing People Counter Terrorism -14*PYTD -32.6%* -1*PYTD, -2*5YR AVG Common Assault -5% 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 -24.6% -13.9%
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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 30th June 2024. Please note that all data included in this report are management information and not official statistics. All data are 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 June 2024, acquisitive crimes show a marginal increase of 3.3% from 212 to 219 crimes with frauds experiencing the highest increase compared to the same period last year. Public Protection Group 2 sexual crimes have reduced by 13% (-9) compared to last year. Both the number of rape offences and sexual assaults have seen a decrease from 16 to 14 crimes and 26 to 19 respectively. Road Safety & Road Crime Overall there has been 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 seen a slight reduction as at the end of June 2024 from 4 to 3. Road traffic collisions involving serious injuries have also reduced from 21 to 12 and collisions resulting in slight injuries have decreased from 33 to 16. Serious Organised Crime At the end of June 2024, drug supply offences have increased by 72% (8 crimes), whilst possession charges have reduced by 29% from 127 to 90 crimes. Across Argyll & West Dunbartonshire 6 persons linked to serious and organised crime (SAOC) have been arrested and £301,847 seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). Violence & ASB At the end of June 2024, Group 1 crimes of violence have increased with 261 crimes compared to 247 the previous year to date, while anti-social behaviour (ASB) related crimes have also risen from 232 to 249. 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 1948 1468 Total number of incidents 5974 5144 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 24.6% from the previous year and is also 16.8% below the previous 5 year average (1765). Despite the overall reduction in crime levels there have been slight increases in both crimes of violence (+5.7%) and acquisitive crimes (+3.3%), while Group 2 sexual crimes and crimes against society have experienced a reduction.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL ACQUISITIVE CRIME Shoplifting crimes have remained relatively consistent with 49 crimes compared to 48 the previous year to date, although remain above the previous 5 year average (34.6). The detection rate for shoplifting has increased from 47.6% to 49.7% (+2.1%), in number terms this equates to 7 more crimes detected. Housebreaking crimes also remain relatively unchanged from 20 to 19 at the end of July 2024 (compared to last year). Housebreakings at non-dwelling properties have increased slightly from 2 to 9 crimes, however this has been offset by reductions in domestic housebreakings (-5) and commercial properties (-3). The detection rate for housebreaking has increased from 15% to 31.6%. Fraud crimes have seen a slight increase in Argyll and Bute at the end of June 2024 compared to last year, from 44 to 53 crimes. Much of this increase is due to a rise in frauds involving bank account takeovers (+9) and stolen or lost credit/debit cards (+4). The detection rate for fraud has increased from 15.4% to 18.8%. Perpetrators of such offences are generally based out with the UK. Retail crime remains a priority for the division. In Helensburgh, our new community policing officers are working closely alongside local businesses in the retail sector, providing advice, guidance and support in an effort to reduce shoplifting crimes. Officers are identifying persistent offenders, ensuring to seek bail conditions which restrict access by the perpetrators to relevant retail premises. Our detection rate for shoplifting has risen by 2.1%. Theft of fuel from petrol stations continues to be an increasing trend. Along with our preventions team, we are supporting local businesses through the provision of crime prevention advice, encouraging appropriate business practice to further assist to deter this specific type of acquisitive crime. Bike Register marking kits have been distributed to police offices across Argyll and Bute, available to members of the public on request. Once registered on the Bike Register, the unique QR coded stickers can be used to identify lost and stolen bikes. These cannot be removed, acting as a visible deterrent to bicycle theft. Our preventions team have been closely involved in a number of new build Secured by Design projects being progressed in the Argyll and Bute area, ensuring crime prevention is an integral part of the design and build process. The team also recently visited Helensburgh with the Trading Standards ‘Scam Van’ engaging with members of the public, raising awareness of current prevalent types of fraudulent activity.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Our partnerships team are working with A&B licensing and local taxi companies to increase their awareness of domestic violence and in particular violence against woman and children. Better awareness and support to taxi drivers will allow them to consider the, “by stander approach,” giving them confidence to take appropriate action and report any concerns they have with regards to passengers in their vehicles. In Oban Lorn and Islands and Mid-Argyll Kintyre and Islands, we chair an NHS Highland and Police Scotland partnerships working group, benefitting from joint learning and information sharing enabling us to better serve the most vulnerable members of our communities. Our Youth Engagement Officers across Argyll and Bute continue to deliver talks within our local schools, with our recent focus being on ‘sextortion’ crimes and online safety. The Arrest Referral Scheme is currently being re-launched across Argyll and Bute, ensuring persons passing through police custody are referred to the most appropriate services to provide the support they require. At the end of June 2024, Group 2 crimes show a decrease of 13% with 60 crimes compared to 69 (-9) in the same period last year. Rape offences have reduced from 16 to 14 crimes, while sexual assaults have also decreased by 26.9% from 26 to 19 (-7) year on year. Approximately 92% of rape crimes occurred in a private space setting and all crimes were committed by persons known to the victim (with 6 being domestic related). Similarly around 68% of sexual assaults occurred within private spaces and 95% were committed by persons known to the victim. Approximately 36% of all sexual assaults recorded at the end of June 2024 relate to non-recent reports. Both the detection rates for rape crime and sexual assault have seen an increase of 63% and 44.3% respectively from 6.3% to 69.2% and 34.6% to 78.9% year on year. The number of domestic abuse incidents has seen a reduction compared to last from 173 to 161, while the number of crimes recorded has remained relatively consistent from 98 to 100 crimes as at the end of June 2024. A total of 29 missing person reports had been recorded within Argyll and Bute at end of June 2024, which is a reduction of 32.6% from last year (-14). MP reports relating to adults have reduced from 29 to 22 (-7), while reports relating to children and children in care have also seen a decrease from 10 to 7 (-3) and 3 to 0 (-3) respectively, year on year. PUBLIC PROTECTION
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL At the end of June 2024 Argyll and Bute the number of fatal RTC’s recorded has reduced marginally from 4 to 3 year on year, while both the number of serious and slight injuries have also recorded a decrease from 21 to 12 (-9) and 33 to 16 (-17) respectively. Road Traffic Casualties 2023/24 2024/25 Number of persons killed on our roads 4 3 Number of persons seriously injured 21 12 Number of persons slightly injured 33 16 Number of children seriously injured 1 0 Throughout the reporting period, our Roads Policing Unit have provided support to Argyll and Bute in respect of road safety with campaigns through the national calendar of activity. Focus during this time has been on the Fatal 5 campaign, motorcycle safety weekends of action, Child Safety Week, National Seatbelt campaign and cycle space dedicated patrols with marked and unmarked vehicles in the area. As a result of our continued presence within local community council and partnership meetings, we are able to identify locations which our communities have identified as areas of concern for speeding. Our officers are trained in the use of handheld speed detection devices and will always look for opportunities to target these areas throughout the course of their duties. We participate in the Cowal Transport Forum which provides a wide range of community members the opportunity to engage directly with local policing, giving us a great opportunity to listen and identify local risk and provide a suitable policing response. Motorcyclists are among our most vulnerable road users. In Helensburgh and Inveraray, our partnerships and preventions team held successful road safety events assisted by Roads Policing and in partnership with the Institute of Advanced Motorists and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Road Smart advanced riders offered free driving assessments and development sessions to motorcycle riders as part of these free drop in events, which were very well received by the public. Officers from our roads policing unit also attended an event at the Apple Tree Nursery in Rothesay, providing road safety advice to drivers in relation to safely passing cyclists on our roads network. Despite the marginal decrease in number of persons killed on our roads within the quarter and significant decrease in those seriously injured, we continue to recognise the devastating effect that fatal and serious collisions have on persons involved, families and friends and our local communities as a whole. We continue to work tirelessly to improve the safety of those using the roads network. ROAD SAFETY AND ROAD CRIME
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Across Argyll & West Dunbartonshire, 6 persons linked to serious and organised crime have been arrested and £301,847 has been seized under POCA since 1st April 2024. At the end of June 2024, drugs supply charges had increased from 11 to 19 crimes, which is also above the previous 5 year average (11.4). Drug possession charges have seen a 29% reduction from 127 to 90 and are also 17.7% below the previous 5 year average (109.4). We continue to focus on those involved in the supply of controlled drugs and other high-level criminality and the seizure of over £300,000 since April 2024 is a significant part of what we are doing. We strongly believe that this cash would otherwise have been re-invested into further criminal activities. We have been upskilling officers across Argyll and Bute, ensuring they understand and appreciate the importance of community intelligence and information. This information is key and often results in the targeting of those involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs. On Bute this has led to an increase in applications to the courts for Sheriff search warrants resulting in various drugs recoveries from specific individuals. Our Youth Engagement Officers are continuing to provide inputs in local schools explaining the dangers of drug use, and warning of the potential dangers of County Lines activity. During this quarter, cocaine and cannabis with an estimated value of around £8000 was recovered in the Oban area, along with an air weapon and ammunition. In Campbeltown, through dedicated efforts and intelligence led policing, cocaine with an estimated value of around £2400 was recovered, alongside a large quantity of cash and items relating to drugs supply during a search of a property under warrant. Also within the same quarter in the Campbeltown area, officers recovered a quantity of cocaine, cannabis, a baton and a Taser from a residential address. SERIOUS & ORGANISED CRIME
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL VIOLENCE Across Argyll and Bute we continue to support our nighttime economy by providing a visible police presence within our licensed premises. Weekend policing plans allow us to maximise our efforts across our towns as we look for opportunities to reduce early signs of antisocial behaviour, which may otherwise escalate into violence. We often work with partners to maximise our presence. In Helensburgh, the Royal Navy Police have been attending shift meetings learning about priority tasking and supporting local policing across the town. We continue to ensure that violent offenders released from court with bail conditions are robustly policed and managed appropriately. Across Argyll and Bute, we conduct proactive bail visits to ensure these offenders are adhering to all conditions imposed. The rise in stalking type offences have been, with the exception of one, domestic related. It is notable that more victims of such offences now appear to have the confidence to report concerns to Police Scotland and we continue to train and develop our officers to improve knowledge of this specific crime type, ensuring appropriate recording, safeguarding and investigation. Levels of violence occurring within Argyll and Bute have risen by 5.7% from 247 to 261 (+14) year on year with the current figure also 30% above the previous 5 year average (200.4). Crimes were largely spilt 50/50 in terms of public and private space with approx. 57% 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 a 65% increase in common assaults on police and emergency workers from 23 to 38 crimes (+15). In Oban assaults on police officers have risen from 4 to 12 crimes year on year with 6 crimes relating to 1 offender. Stalking offences have also seen a slight increase from 2 to 7 crimes at the end of Qtr. 1 with 6 crimes being domestic related and largely involved victim receiving frequent and unwanted contact from ex partners The detection rate for crimes of violence overall has seen a slight increase from 64.4% to 70.9% (+6.5%), which equates to an additional 26 crimes being detected in number terms.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Across the recording period the number of ASB related incidents in Argyll and Bute has reduced by approx. 14% (-830) compared to last year. Group 6 crimes, which include ASB related offences have increased slightly with 249 crimes recorded compared to 232 PYTD. ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR Across Argyll and Bute, our weekend policing plans continue, specifically targeting antisocial behaviour hotspots. Operation Ballaton continues to provide a multi-agency approach to dealing with the vast increase in numbers of people attending the area and associated increase in antisocial behaviour issues around the Loch Lomond area in the summer months. In Oban we have secured a new re-deployable CCTV camera, which can be relocated around problematic areas as required. On Bute we continue to develop our youth engagement opportunities. Our Youth Engagement Officer has been working with our education partners to develop the Planet Youth initiative which is a holistic and joined- up approach to youth engagement. We remain involved in the same initiative in the Lochgilphead area. As a result of a rise in vandalism and a specific spate of fire raising on Bute we have engaged in a partnership problem solving approach which has included crime prevention and target hardening, joint partnership inputs at the Joint Campus to young persons and discussions with A&B Council. As such the incidents have reduced and offenders have been identified. Our teams continue to attend regular antisocial behaviour meetings with housing and partners. In Oban Lorn and Islands and Mid Argyll Kintyre and the Islands, we continue to attend Area Community Planning Groups, supporting and encouraging effective collaboration between community-based organisations operating in the local area. Our partnerships team also work closely with housing providers, offering advice on antisocial behaviour legislation. In Oban, our Youth Engagement Officer attends a Youth Activities Planning group on a regular basis, alongside partners including education, A&B Council and various outdoor activity groups working together to provide more relevant opportunities to local youths, in an effort to divert them away from known hotspots and from engaging in antisocial behaviour. Our Oban Youth Engagement Officer is also currently in the process of relaunching the Police Scotland Youth Volunteer (PSYV) programme, with adult and youth volunteers already secured.
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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 68%, which is 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 144 responses 68% of those asked were either very satisfied or satisfied with the service they received from Police Scotland. We continue to work to improve these figures, through training and appropriate supervision, ensuring our dedicated officers provide a high quality of service across the area in all aspects of policing.