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Stretched police in Fife having to ‘prioritise’ as violent crime spikes

The divisional commander admits: "Some may view this as a reduction in service."

Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan.
Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan has urged respect from the public in Fife. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

Crime levels in Fife, including violent offences such as attempted murder, serious assault and rape, have increased in the past year.

Figures released on Tuesday show that, combined with higher levels of offences, police are having to prioritise certain crime types over others.

The report, presented at the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee, suggests that hard choices are needed to maintain effective policing within the funding available.

The divisional commander admits: “Some may view this as a reduction in service.”

Rise in violent crime

The Q1 data shows that between April and June this year the total number criminal offences recorded in Fife rose from 4,189 in 2022 to 4,224 this year.

This includes a rise in violent offences.

Figures include:

  • 41 more violent crimes recorded – 215 this year compared to 174 last year.
  • Five more attempted murders.
  • Eight more serious assaults.
  • Six more reports of rape and assault with intent to rape.

However, there have been no murders of culpable homicides and a reduction in sexual crime with figures falling from 410 to 361.

Indecent and sexual assaults have fallen from 150 to 109.

Police officers are also reported to be spending more time than ever before assisting with mental health issues.

‘Demand on policing is now vast’

Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan, divisional commander for Fife, said: “The overall rise in recorded crime within Fife reflects the overwhelming level of demand the division and country as a whole is experiencing.

fife tayside police
Police Scotland headquarters in Glenrothes, Fife.

“We must make a number of hard choices to prioritise our resource and provide the best level of policing service to the public while prioritising the crime types that have the most significant and adverse effect on our communities.

He added: “I cannot emphasise enough that demand on policing is now vast and at levels never before experienced.”

“The daily challenge to find resources to respond to the needs of our communities is relentless and means, at times, we may have to prioritise certain crime types over others, with crimes against the person being the priority.

“Some may view this as a reduction in service but that will be necessary to protect others.”

Mental health demands at unseen level

He said that demands within the mental health space continue to take up much of officers’ time.

He added: “It is now common place for officers to spend many hours at hospital with individuals in mental health crisis.

“This has now reached a level never seen before in my 29 years in policing.”

Meantime, there has been a significant reduction in injuries on Fife’s roads, with overall casualties down from 73 to 29.

This includes one fewer fatal collision than last year (down two, to one), 11 fewer serious injury collisions and 32 fewer slight injury collisions.

The reduction in road casualties is in tandem with a drop in motoring offences across Fife. These have fallen from 1,972 to 1,720.

This includes 21 fewer dangerous driving offences and a decrease in the number of driving without a licence, seatbelt and mobile phone offences.

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