Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

Progress Reports/Updates on Service Matters - Police Scotland

Minutes:

Chief Superintendent McKenzie began by saying that the Police Contact Assessment model would ‘go live’ on 23 March 2020 in the Scottish Borders. He advised that a consultation on the closure of Coldstream Police Station had been circulated for the local community’s’ views.  It was noted that the station had not been operational since 2016.   Chief Superintendent McKenzie further advised that the consultation on renewal of the Local Policing Plan had achieved 628 responses from the Scottish Borders.  The Strategic Assessment was being prepared and the draft Plan would be circulated to Board members for their comments.  In response to a question, Superintendent MacInnes advised that the consultation period could be extended to allow feedback from Coldstream Community Council, following their election. The final draft plan would be submitted to the Board before being submitted to the Scottish Borders Council for its approval.

 

5.2       Inspector McGuigan then presented Police Scotland’s Scrutiny Report for Q3 - April 2019 to December 2019 compared to the same reporting period the previous year.  Copies of the report had been circulated with the Agenda.   Inspector McGuigan began by advising that Quarter 3 had seen the total number of crimes recorded increasing by 10%.  However, this was an improving position when compared with Quarter 2 (15%).  During the quarter there had been a decrease in serious assaults, road casualties, antisocial behaviour, all housebreaking and missing persons.  

 

5.3       Protecting People (Q3 2018/19 figures shown in brackets)

Although there had been decrease in missing person incidents to 500 (552), there remained a need to commit a significant number of resources to incidents in order to protect the most vulnerable members of the community.   In response to a question regarding the support received from NHS Borders, Inspector McGuigan advised that good assistance was received with representatives from NHS Borders attended Police Liaison meetings where each incident was discussed and learning points were disseminated to those concerned.

 

5.4       Domestic Abuse incidents had increased to 863 (746), 457 of these incidents resulted in a crime being recorded giving a conversion rate of 40.9%.  Proactive bail checks continued to be robustly enforced, with 29 detections for bail offences this year to date, a rise of 81.3% when compared to the same period in 2018/19.

 

5.5       Racially Aggravated Conduct had risen with 14 (11) crimes reported.  22% of which were against police officers. It was indicated a number of hate incidents had been committed by children (aged 16 and under) and Youth Community Officers continued to work in partnership with education to address this.

 

5.6       Sexual Crimes had also risen in the period with 174 (120) crimes reported.  Reports of rape were up by 16 and reports of Indecent/Sexual Assault had increased by 70% - an increase of 29 crimes.  The detection rate for Group 2 crimes was high and had also increased by 18.9% since the same reporting period last year and was at 74.7% and the rape detection was higher at 77.1%

 

5.7       Reducing Violence (Q3 2018/19 figures shown in brackets)

There had been a small increase in Crimes of Violence to 71 (69).   Within this group, serious assault had reduced to 30 (34); robberies and common assaults had increased from 15 (7) and 745 (647) respectively.    Weekend patrols continued to target violence and disorder. 

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  5.8       Reducing Antisocial Behaviour (Q3 2018/19 figures shown in brackets)

Incidents continued to reduce 4,142 (4,429).  Inspector McGuigan highlighted the Borders Blue Zone, an initiative in conjunction with Live Borders, providing young people with the opportunity to interact in a positive environment whilst gaining health benefits through exercise.  Two events in Hawick had already taken place with the third scheduled for this evening.  Inspector McGuigan went on to advise of a ‘Snapchat’ gathering of youths in Melrose on Hogmany, resulting in additional officers being deployed to deal with the resulting disorder.  The Events Plan team were mindful of the possibility of a similar event occurring in the Borders on Hogmany 2020 and would plan for this eventuality.

 

5.9       Tackling Substance Abuse Tackling Substance Misuse (Q3 2018/19 figures shown in brackets)

Drug Supply, Production and Cultivation – There had been a reduction in detections of 42.1% to 44 (76).  Whilst this was significantly lower than last year, an intelligence led approach resulted in the recovery of £80k of heroin and a male had been charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

 

 5.10      Road Safety (Q3 2018/19 figures shown in brackets)

There were 4 fatal (10), 53 serious (58), and 85 (125) slight road casualties during the period, a reduction across the board.   Work continued to prevent and detect antisocial driving and dangerous driving.   There had been a 100% increase 38 (19) in the number of people detected for mobile phone offences reflecting police commitment to this offence.  Targeting those who continued to drink and drive remained a focus and members of the community were encouraged to contact police should they suspect anyone of committing this offence. 

 

5.11       Reducing Housebreaking (Q3 2018/19 figures shown in brackets)

There were 87 (59) house breakings; 37 (35) in relation to sheds and garages and 35 (80) other businesses.  The overall detection rate was 35%, an increase compared to Quarter 2.  Operation Talonstrike had been implemented as a result of the rise in acquisitive crime, with a resulting reduction in reported breakins to business premises.

 

5.12       Community Action Team (CAT)

During the period the CAT had carried out 166 hours of foot patrols, 33 static road checks, issued 212 parking tickets and undertaken 16 premise searches under a drugs warrant, with a 93.8% success rate for drug recoveries.  In response to specific tasking, there had been a 67% reduction in relation to reported youth issues in Eyemouth in December compared to November.  In Cheviot, static road checks carried out at Kelso Races had resulted in 50 stops being carried out.  Following a drugs warrant in Selkirk, £3,300 had been recovered in cash and drugs.  In Teviot, the CAT had addressed youth issues in Mart Street, Hawick.   Antisocial behaviour reports had also been addressed in Peebles town centre.  In response to a question on whether the reports on CAT activity could be made available for the quarter under consideration by the Committee to align with the Police Performance report, Mr Jones said he would look into whether there was a solution to this matter.

 

 5.13         Board members then raised a number of questions which were answered by officers.

A specific question was raised with regards the police contribution to the paper submitted to Scottish Borders Council in relation to the provision of public space CCTV in the Scottish Borders. Chief Superintendent McKenzie commented on the provisions of the National CCTV Strategy and the position that the resource of CCTV was of benefit to partner agencies and communities beyond the limited scope of policing as suggested in recent media coverage. In addition the Chief Superintendent also commented on the role of CCTV to contribute to community safety and wellbeing in line with wider partnership objectives. 

 

5.14          In terms of the specific point raised in relation to the mechanism adopted to engage with Police Scotland regarding sourcing comment, the Chief Superintendent confirmed that an email request for comment was sent by Scottish Borders Council to the Local Area Commander on 13 November 2019. A response indicating that the subject had been deferred to a national department was submitted on 14 November 2019.  However, a response was not provided by the policing team in the Lothian and Scottish Borders prior to the deadline specified as 27 November 2019. The Chief Superintendent apologised that the opportunity to comment had been missed. The Chief Superintendent highlighted that paragraph 4.4 of the Scottish Borders Council report on the subject of CCTV, dated 30 January 2020, was entitled ‘Police Position’. However, the comment attributed to the sourcing of data in the first sentence of the paragraph was actually ‘council officers’ and not’ police officers’ a position that appeared to have caused some confusion.   Chief Superintendent McKenzie’s understanding was that the Council had agreed to continue to maintain a maintenance budget for the current asset.  Going forward it was his intention to ask for further discussion with the Council to ascertain the CCTV footprint in its wider sense and determine the frequency and locations of usage.

 

5.15          Regarding custody cells, he explained that the facility in Hawick remained in use.  The facility in Galashiels was being upgraded to allow additional accommodation and to minimise the travel time by avoiding transporting prisoners to Dalkeith and by extension maximising the time officers spent in the Scottish Borders.   With regard to the new reporting format to Community Councils, feedback from some community councils had been positive.  Individual reports to community councils was not possible, although they could consider including more localised information, police officers would also continue to attend meetings when appropriate.    With regard to the provision of regular information on complaints against the service, he suggested that the numbers of complaints be reported to the Board twice yearly as this would be more meaningful. He would also bring back figures relating to 101 calls.    Regarding child protection procedures, Chief Superintendent McKenzie confirmed that a multi-agency approach supported by multi-agency procedures, involving social work, police and health, were in place to protect children in the Scottish Borders.   In respect of reports of wildlife crime and rural night thefts, Inspector McGuigan advised that they were aware of recent night activity and were working jointly to address this with Northumbria Police.  There was also a dedicated Wildlife Liaison Officer in the Scottish Borders.   In answer to a question regarding government funding, the Chair confirmed that COSLA had raised the matter of additional funding to be allocated for policing.  

 

DECISION

NOTED:-

(a)         The report;

(b)     That the numbers of complaints against the police service would be reported on a twice yearly basis; and

(c)     That 101 response call figures be reported at a future meeting of the Board.

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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