Serious assaults down more than a quarter in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
Violent crime has fallen in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde as police officers continue to protect victims and tackle issues such as knife crime.
The number of serious assaults fell by more than a quarter (26 per cent) year-on-year, from 133 between April 1 and September 30, 2019 to 98 in the same period this year.
Officers have also worked tirelessly to bring perpetrators of crime to justice and their work has led to an increase in the number of detections.
Overall, 3,310 Group 1-5 crimes were detected in the division between April 1 and September 30, 2020, up from 3,276 in the same period the year before.
It meant that 58 per cent of Group 1-5 crimes committed in the division were successfully detected. The national rate is 56.4 per cent.
Proactive work by officers resulted in more bladed and offensive weapons being taken out of communities.
A total of 299 crimes involving offensive or bladed weapons were recorded in the division, up from 215 in the same period the previous year. The number of detections rose by one-third, from 186 to 250.
Common assaults fell, from 1,090 to 944, and the detection rate for these offences increased to 68.4 per cent.
However, there was an increase in assaults against emergency workers, with 244 reported in the six-month period, up from 211 the previous year.
A total of 248 assaults against emergency workers were detected in the period, up from 210.
The Management Information figures released by Police Scotland today show that many crimes are returning to pre-lockdown levels after a significant drop in overall offending between April and June.
Nationally, fraud continues to rise sharply. In Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, the number of cases of fraud rose by two-thirds, from 209 in the first six months of 2019/20 to 347 this year.
Officers continued to engage with the public to support the coronavirus restrictions during the six-month period and responded to rising complaints about anti-social behaviour.
Between April 1 and September 30, 2020, there were 11,177 reports of anti-social behaviour in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. This was one-third higher than the previous year and many of the complaints related to concerns about breaches of the restrictions in place.
Chief Superintendent Alan Murray, commander of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde division, said: “Violence and the carrying of weapons is unacceptable. We know it has a devastating and significant impact on individuals, families and communities.
“We work closely with partners on issues such as violence and knife crime and remain determined to bring perpetrators to justice and take weapons off our streets.
“Police Scotland officers have responded to the pandemic with professionalism and have worked hard with partners to support the collective response to coronavirus.
“It is then even more shocking that officers and other emergency workers have been assaulted for simply doing their job.
“Assaults against officers or other emergency workers are disgraceful and the Chief Constable has underlined his commitment to this issue with a pledge to support their safety and welfare.”
