Police Scotland has today released its Q4 Management of Information data for the end of March 2020, to the beginning of April 2021, which shows that the number of casualties on the division’s road network has fallen from 210, to 171, compared with the previous year. There has also been one fewer fatal collision during this period.
In addition, 19 fewer dangerous driving offences were recorded, along with 71 fewer drink-driving offences and 847 fewer speeding offences.
The past 12 months have seen the country subject to COVID lockdown restrictions and in this time, overall crime has fallen by 271 crimes.
There has also been some positive reductions in relation to violent crime, with the number of attempted murders falling from 80-64. There has also been one fewer murder.
Recorded domestic abuse within the division has increased from 41-64 reports, while there has also been an overall rise in sexual crime, with an additional 31 offences reported.
This rise in recorded sexual crime coincides with a two percentage point rise in the detection rate.
Nationally, there were a total of 1,966 child sexual abuse crimes recorded during the year, an increase of 5.9% compared to last year (1,857).
Within Dumfries and Galloway the situation in relation to child abuse is unchanged from the past 12 months, with offences for taking, possessing and distributing indecent images of children staying the same at 13 reports.
Also similar to the national picture is the rise in fraud. The division has seen 127 more of these offences reported, rising from 304, to 431.
A reduction in the total number of housebreakings, including attempted break-ins has been observed, with seven fewer incidents taking place. Similarly, there has been more than a 13 percentage point increase in the detection rate for housebreakings and attempted housebreakings.
Chief Superintendent Carol McGuire, Divisional Commander for Dumfries and Galloway, said: “Obviously, any fall in crime numbers is encouraging, but given that the Q4 Management of Information data reflects the period of time the country has been in lockdown, we must be pragmatic as to what they represent.
“DCC Taylor has today confirmed that, as the process of exiting COVID restrictions continues, we will continue to report on changes to the policing requirements of communities and the challenge of maintaining higher detection rates in the context of reported crime, which is closer to pre-pandemic levels.
“We have maintained our focus on addressing the division’s key priorities, such as tackling violence, sexual offences, acquisitive crime and improving road safety, despite the unprecedented challenges of the last year. I believe our efforts have been vindicated by the rise in public confidence in policing recorded in the Your Police survey.
“However, the Dumfries and Galloway communities can rest assured that we will not become complacent in our efforts to reduce crime, improve detection rates and keep the region a safe place to live, work and visit.”
The 2020-21 Q4 Performance Report will be presented to the Scottish Police Authority’s Policing Performance Committee on Tuesday, 8 June.
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