Tayside sees more than 26% drop in drug crimes year on year

Tayside has seen a drop in drug crimes of more than 26 per cent, year on year, according to the latest Police Scotland figures.

The service has today released its Quarter 4 Performance Report for 2021-22, which outlines national and local information about the number of incidents of crime recorded, alongside detection rates.

The most significant drop comes in relation to possession of drugs, which fell to 1,257 incidents in the fourth quarter of 2021-22, compared to 1,733 at the same period in the previous year.

Tayside also observed a small overall decrease in the number of sexual crimes reported to Police Scotland (-10).

In line with national trends, there has been a divisional increase in fraud (+27.5%), from 974 to 1,242 in the 12 month period, and an 11.5% rise in violent crime.

Chief Superintendent Phil Davison, divisional commander for Tayside division, said: “The country and our region are continuing to readjust to life without the limitations we all faced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. More than a year on from the most stringent of restrictions lifting, we are seeing crime returning to the kind of levels experienced prior to the public health crisis.

“While there have been fluctuations year-on-year, a great deal of proactive work is underway within the division to address the concerns of our residents and local businesses, and we remain committed to doing all we can to improve safety and wellbeing across our communities. This includes addressing the evolving face of fraud being perpetrated both in the real world and the cyber sphere.

“The decrease in sexual crime offences this quarter is welcome as this is an area which remains a priority for us. 

“While the reductions in drug possession and supply is also welcome, we cannot become complacent as the harm caused by drugs has significant impact across our communities, and we will therefore continue working closely with a range of partners to reduce such harms with a focus on prevention, education and enforcement activities.

“There was a slight increase in the number of both fatal and serious road traffic collisions during this quarter, and our thoughts are with all those affected by these incidents.  Continually seeking to improve Road Safety, our officers remain vigilant across Tayside’s road network and robustly police our highways all year round.  During this reporting period we recorded nearly 13% fewer crimes on Tayside’s roads than at the same point in the previous year. Significantly this included a nearly 15% reduction in drink and drug driving offences and fifth fewer instances of dangerous driving.”

The Quarter 4 Performance Report also details findings of Police Scotland’s Your Police Survey, which was carried out between January and March 2022. More than 14,000 responses were received from members of the public across the country.

Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: “Our bond with our fellow citizens is central to our legitimacy and key to enabling effective community policing. The public has told us we are doing well in delivering a consistent service and welcomed increased visibility and presence in areas which require it. We use the feedback we received to inform our policing approach, including the Annual Police Plan for 2022-23.I want to encourage the public to continue to engage with our surveys to influence local policing.”

The 2021-22 Q4 Performance Report will be presented at the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee on 7 June. The report, and associated Management Information is available here.