Police Scotland Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 13 May 2025
Back to Helensburgh and Lomond Area Community Planning Group — 13 May 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 Community Planning Group 1st February -7st May 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 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 on 0800 555 111 or via their website and online form (https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give- information/forms/pre-form). Acquisitive Crime 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. Between 01/02/2025 and the week commencing 07/05/2025 locally we have recorded 28 Shopliftings. 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. 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. Road Safety 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 risen marginally by 1 year to date from April 2024 as at the end of March 2025 from 7 to 8. Road traffic collisions involving serious and slight injuries however have decreased considerably from 69 to 49 and 91 to 78 respectively across the same date period. Speeding and driving complaints remain prevalent within Helensburgh and Lomond. We continue to support community concerns in this area through direct action, prevention and intervention work. Proactive speed checks have been carried out across the area and Between 01/02/2025 and the week commencing 07/05/2025, we have detected 101seeding offences across out local communities. There drivers have been issued with fines or
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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 reported to the COPFs. We have also detected 5 individuals who were unfit to drive through drink or drugs. Our Preventions Team continue to look for innovative ways to highlight road safety concerns and improve driver behaviour locally. A recent Road safety partnership event was arranged and took place in Helensburgh. There was a great turn out and many within the community benefited for the advice and guidance from traffic experts. Our Youth Engagement officer recently teamed up with Toyota Helensburgh to carry our road safety inputs across all primary schools. This a very worthwhile initiative which raised awareness with our young persons. ASB/Violence All operational officers are briefed daily prior to deployment to furnish them with the intelligence and information required to be able to identify those involved in violence and ASB. This will include known weapon carriers, violent individuals and those subject to specific bail conditions that have been granted to restrict their activities. Our officers are pro-actively patrolling these areas and people with the intention of reducing their negative impact on the community and the likelihood of them re-offending. 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 and assembly however these rights and not an absolute and where actions become criminal we will ensure that a proportionate response is delivered. The Preventions Team at Dumbarton are in daily contact with the ASB and Housing Teams. 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. 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.
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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 specialised public protection unit has realigned staff 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 place in front of them. We have been engaging 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 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
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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 Have your say on your local policing priorities - Your Police 2024-2025 - Police Scotland - Citizen Space