Police Scotland Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 10 June 2025
Back to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee — 10 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 AND PARTNERS 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. OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS Argyll & West Dunbartonshire Division Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee June 2025 The priorities for your area are decided by data from our strategic assessment which details threats and risks, and also from feedback from local authorities, partners, and residents in the Local Policing Survey. The current priorities are: • Serious and organised crime • Crimes of theft and dishonesty (acquisitive crime) • Road safety and road crime • ASB & Violent crime • Public protection. Serious and Organised Crime Cowal, Bute & Helensburgh benefits from a dedicated specialist resource, the Serious and Organised Crime Team (SOCT). These specialist officers are supported by dedicated intelligence officers in taking a proactive approach to tackling serious and organised crime in our communities. The work of our Serious and Organised Crime Team continues to impact on the criminal activities of those involved. The seizure of £3,496,132 under the Proceeds of Crime Act since 1st April 2024 is a very significant amount of money. Money that will not be re-invested into further illegal activity including the supply of illegal drugs which brings so much misery to many. We have been upskilling officers across our policing division, ensuring they understand and appreciate the importance of community intelligence and information. Through intelligence led policing, officers are able to apply to the courts for Sheriff search warrants and take positive action in the detection and disruption of those involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs. Community information is key for us and may just provide us with the last piece of evidence required to apply to the courts for a warrant. We encourage our communities to share concerns and suspicions around drug dealing either by calling 101 or by reporting anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website and online form (https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give- information/forms/pre-form). COWAL, BUTE & HELENSBURGH PRIORITIES 2023-2026
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OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS 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. OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS Acquisitive Crime Since April 1st 2025 we have recorded 12 shopliftings across Helensburgh and Lomond which is down 33% from the same period last year We continue to target those involved in shoplifting offences, many of whom are linked to organised travelling crime groups. We have successfully identified a number of such travelling criminals via our partnership with Retailers Against Crime (RAC) who assist with the identification of these individuals. We are working with colleagues across the force to target known individuals and groups. We are also in the process of implementing a new IT process which will make the transfer of large evidential data files easier between businesses police Scotland and the COPFS. We have recorded 4 frauds since 1st April 2025. Prior to April we seen a number of online frauds recorded. These frauds relate to online sales sites such as Facebook marketplace and online investments such as Crypto Currency. Our pro-active work to protect the public from fraud continues. We are delivering inputs to groups and utilising our social media presence to maximum effect. Our relationship with our colleagues in Trading Standards is strong and we are installing call-blockers to landlines when appropriate which is a device to add a level of protection against the automated type of fraudulent call. Our pro-active work to protect the public from fraud continues. In a recent case in Helensburgh a vulnerable member of the community was defrauded out of £44,200 by individuals claiming to be from their bank. This was a complex enquiry and one which usually leads oversees however some great work from a local officer resulted in 5 individuals being arrested and charged with fraud. Road Safety Overall, there continues to be a reduction in the number of casualties involved in road traffic collisions within A&B compared to last year. Speeding and driving complaints remain prevalent across A&B. We continue to support community concerns in this area through direct action, prevention and intervention work. Proactive speed checks have been carried out across hot spot areas. We continue to work with partners including A&B council looking for innovative ways to positively influence road users.
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OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS 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. OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS Our proactive and determined approach to reducing road deaths during the last quarter (from January 2025) resulted in 29 detections for those driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs, 48 detections for careless driving and 21 for the more serious dangerous driving. Our preventions team continue to work with partners across our communities at road safety planned events. These events have been well received and allow a multi-agency approach to improving safety on our roads. where we can positively influence driver behaviour and understand community concerns. As we approach our peak time across our road’s networks our national Roads Policing Team will be providing a high visibility presence across Argyll, they will also be delivering initiatives such as ‘Operation Close Pass’ which is aimed at tackling dangerous overtaking of cyclists and raising cyclist awareness amongst other road users. Our national motorcycle unit will be out supporting local policing across Argyll in the coming period specifically to encourage safe and responsible road use by motorcyclists. There focus will be engagement, education and enforcement. We are also working with the Safety Camera Partnership to have their speed detection van deployed at various locations again to deter and detect those intent on speeding. ASB/Violence The reduction in ASB related calls is pleasing and we continue to work daily with our colleagues at A&B council and housing providers across Argyll to great effect. We are pro- actively visiting problematic tenancies with the ASB Team to impact on any ASB at the earliest possible opportunity. This information is then briefed out to local policing to ensure they are aware of ongoing demand and intelligence. Our officers are fully utilising alternatives to prosecution options whereby they are issuing fixed penalty notices and warnings for minor ASB related offences. This ensures we continue to maximise our resources within the community at peak times without our officers being abstracted to custody. The Preventions Team at Dumbarton are in daily contact with the ASB and Housing Teams across A&B. Requests can range from a single email to a full disclosure which is required when legal action is being taken against a resident. Across A&B we have made in excess of 300 disclosures. The partnership work between the local authority, housing providers and Police Scotland is a very strong effective partnership. In Helensburgh we have seen a recent sporadic increase in ‘pre-planned’ protests taking place within the community. We will always uphold people’s rights to freedom or speech
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OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS 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. OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS and assembly however these rights and not an absolute and where actions become criminal we will ensure that a proportionate response is delivered. 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. Public Protection We continue to support individuals through a victim centred approach our officers receive regular training and guidance to ensure that we are supporting those affected with a professionalism and empathy. Our specialist officers within our CID team have realigned to create a single Domestic Abuse & Rape Investigation Unit (DARIU) to better triage risk and prioritise enquiries which can be allocated to an increased number of officers working across enquiries within the same unit. Given the volume of historical offences reported, the increase in rape detections is especially notable. This level of work is bringing matters to a speedier conclusion for victims and allowing for safety measures such a bail conditions to be put in place to protect these individuals from further harm. The creation of this unit will also increase our capability to target perpetrators of domestic violence across A&B. We are working daily to break this cycle including work within the schools’ delivering inputs on consent, misogynistic behaviours among young males and working with partners to deliver online sexual violence presentations. We have engaged with GP surgeries in the area providing advice and guidance on the Herbert Protocol which is a pre-prepared information pack for those living with dementia who are at a higher risk of going missing. We have asked the pack to be provided or discussed with families at diagnosis. The information can be provided immediately to police should the person go missing. During the recent Storm Eowyn we received a report of vulnerable 89 year old male with dementia who had gone for a walk in the early hours of the morning. Local officers carried out an immediate search on foot despite the severe weather challenges. The vulnerable male was found, soaking, wet and cold, having fallen. He was checked over and retuned to his wife.
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OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS 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. OFFICIAL: POLICE AND PARTNERS Community Engagement We hosted a fabulous emergency services day at Loch Lomond which attracted thousands of visitors. This was a great opportunity to spend time speaking to members of the community answering questions and demonstrating all aspects of policing. Our youth engagement officer teamed up with our local Rotary club and colleagues at the Ministry of Defence Policing team to deliver internet safety presentations to all local primary schools. PC Haining Gallacher also worked with Toyota Helensburgh to deliver road safety lessons to all primary 1 to 3 classes across the area. 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/ Follow us on Social Media and help share loacl appeals and education messages • Facebook - Police Scotland Argyll and West Dunbartonshire • X (formerly Twitter) – PSOSArgyllBute and PSOS ArgWestDunb Sign up to Neighbourhood Watch to receive local alerts and bulletins for your community area - https://neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk/#0 Have your say on your local policing priorities - Your Police 2024-2025 - Police Scotland - Citizen Space