Crime detection rates continue to increase in the North East
Crime detection rates have continued to increase in the North East thanks to ongoing efforts by police officers, staff and Special Constables to help keep communities safe.
The total number of crimes recorded during the Quarter 3 period (April to December 2020) decreased by several hundred incidents in comparison to the same period last year, while the detection rate increased by more than three percentage points. 99.7% of total drug crime was detected along with more than 400 crimes involving offensive or bladed weapons.
Work continues across the region - alongside our partners - to identify and support vulnerable people at this challenging time, while enforcement activity is ongoing and being carried out by local and national specialist officers to bring offenders to justice.
Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent George Macdonald said: “The public health crisis continues to influence the needs of our communities, and this has resulted in a change in demand on policing. While crimes of violence, crimes of dishonesty and offences committed on our roads all decreased during this quarter three period, there has continued to be a significant increase in areas such as fraud and online offences. These are increasingly complex and resource-intensive investigations, and we remain committed to protect people from harm in public, private and virtual spaces.
“As I continue to stress, it could be many years before we fully understand the impact of coronavirus on crime and the demand on policing generally in Scotland. As much as I welcome a decrease in the types of crime that can have a significant impact on our communities, it must be appreciated that these figures have been recorded during an unprecedented time.”
Police Scotland also published its Performance Report today which revealed that the force received an additional 25,000 calls between April and December compared to the same period last year, taking the total number of 999 and 101 contacts to almost 2 million during the first three-quarters of 2020-21. Our service centres are operating successfully with reduced capacity due to physical distancing requirements, while also coping with increased call demand from the public seeking guidance on coronavirus related issues.
Nationally, large increases in incidents of public nuisance (up 117.8%), neighbour disputes (43.1%) and noise complaints (18.5%) were recorded, attributed to the challenges of coronavirus.
Chief Superintendent Macdonald said: “As Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said today Police officers, staff and Special Constables continue to play a key role in the national effort to combat the spread of coronavirus, while facing the same personal and professional challenges as their fellow citizens. Regardless, they continue to carry out a significant amount of proactive and preventative work alongside our partners to do the absolute best for our communities.
“I continue to be grateful for the co-operation we receive from the public and would like to thank you sincerely for your continued support.”
The 2020-21 Quarter 3 Performance Report has been published on the Scottish Police Authority website ahead of a public meeting of the Authority’s Policing Performance Committee on Tuesday, 9 March, 2021. Associated Management Information is available on the Police Scotland website.
