“Robust” efforts to tackle domestic violence are paying dividends, Glenrothes’ leading police officer has said.
Chief Inspector Nicola Shepherd will tell councillors crime in the town is falling and detection rates are among the highest in Scotland.
New data have revealed that for the eight-month period between April and November 2014, assaults, drug dealing and shoplifting have all seen a reduction compared to the same period in 2013.
There was also a significant fall in violent crime, with reports of domestic abuse down by almost 10%. It follows a concerted effort to tackle the problem since the inception of the single, national police force.
In a report prepared for councillors ahead of today’s meeting, Chief Inspector Shepherd said: “This continued robust approach regularly uncovers crimes of an historical nature, resulting in the most appropriate use of legislation being made to prevent future violent, neglectful and harmful behaviour.
“Whilst this approach did initially see a significant increase in this type of crime being recorded, the figures in this reporting period suggest the approach taken from 2013 is now starting to pay dividends, with the reported crimes being slightly lower than in the previous year.”
While violence has been reduced, there was a slight increase in the number of housebreaking attempts, while detection rates for the crime fell by almost 20%.
There was also a significant rise in the use of controversial stop and search powers up by 17% with 2,613 carried out in the eight months. However, the number of detections went up by a similar amount.
“There is clear evidence that targeted stop searches against known offenders, at the right time, in the right locations, impact positively on levels of crime,” added Chief Inspector Shepherd.
“Whilst it is a tactic that courts controversy from some sections of society, stop and search remains as a central tactic for police officers to effectively target persons involved in criminality, be that in relation to acquisitive crime, drug and alcohol misuse or the carrying of weapons.”