Range of Violent Crimes Fall in Fife
A commitment to tackling violence within Fife continues to pay dividends for Kingdom communities.
Police Scotland’s Q4 Policing Performance report for 1 April 2022, to 31 March 2023, was presented to the Scottish Police Authority on Thursday 15 June 2023 and this information shows that a range of violent crimes have fallen within Fife.
During this period, the number of murders occurring in the division fell from four, to one, while attempted murders and serious assaults fell by 12 and 43 reports, respectively.
Overall sexual crime between April 2022 and March 2023 has also reduced from 1629, to 1418 incidents – equating to 211 fewer offences.
Incidents of rape and attempted rape are down from 287, to 242, while the total number of indecent and sexual assaults has also decreased from 595, to 485.
Whilst achieving these reductions Fife Division continue to be exceptionally successful in bringing the offenders to justice with over 100 years of prison sentences handed out to individuals during 2022/23 involved in sexual and violent offending towards women and girls within the Kingdom.
There has also been a fall in the number of reports of threatening or disclosing intimate images from 95, to 78.
One area that has seen a rise in reported offences within Fife is acquisitive crime, with overall offences rising from 6,151, to 8,030. This includes an increase in the total number of housebreakings and attempted break-ins – 503, to 638.
In line with the national trend, reports of fraud have continued to rise from 1,142, to 1,205.
The total number of road traffic offences recorded in Fife have decreased from 7,017, to 6,414 which is 603 fewer incidents when compared with the same period last year.
The reduction in motoring offences includes falls in speeding, driving while disqualified, driving without a licence and seatbelt offences.
While road safety remains a priority within the Kingdom, there has been an overall rise in the number of casualties occurring on the road network. This includes six more fatalities, with such incidents rising from four, to ten.
Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan, Divisional Commander for Fife, said: “I am immensely proud of the work our officers from Fife’s Public Protection Unit carry out on a daily basis to protect vulnerable people from harm, bring perpetrators of sexual crime and domestic abuse to justice and liaise with key partners to provide survivors of such offences with all the necessary support they may require.
“All of this work supports Police Scotland’s Violence Against Women and Girl’s Strategy and the continued efforts of those within the PPU have resulted in encouraging reductions in sexual crime.
“Divisional uniformed officers have also been working tirelessly alongside CID colleagues to reduce crimes of violence and ensure those who carry weapons or commit violent assaults are brought to account. The fall in murders, attempted murders and serious assaults is testament to their dedication and professionalism.
“There are, of course, a number of challenges we must address and rise to, including the overall rise in acquisitive crime and we will look to tackle this through targeted prevention information to our communities and enforcement action that sends a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated.
“Reiterating what DCC Taylor has stated, I believe the performance data shows that, not only Fife, but Scotland remains a safe place to live and work and, when criticality does arise, Police Scotland responds with high levels of operational competence.”
