Scottish police record special year for crime fighting

ACPOS President Chief Constable Peter Wilson has announced key reductions in crime across Scotland.

The announcement came as he reported on the achievements of Scotland`s police forces for the past year, published in the Annual Report of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS).

Key performance indicators have been met in an unprecedented year of policing activity, which included the massive joint effort to police G8 in July 2005.

Key targets taken from forces across Scotland show:

• Sickness rates of police officers down from 5 per cent to 4.4 per cent
• Serious violent crime down by 7 per cent, as compared to a target of 5 per cent
• An increase in the seizure of Class A drugs of 18 per cent, as compared to a target of 10 per cent
• Increase of possession of drugs and possession with intent to supply by 13.9 per cent, as compared to a target of 10 per cent
• A reduction in housebreakings of 31.5 per cent, as compared to a target of 5 per cent
• 686 new recruits to the Special Constabulary across Scotland, many of whom have gone on to become regular police officers

Mr Wilson said: “We now have 1300 fewer victims of serious violent crime, 5170 more drug crimes recorded and 7000 less victims of housebreaking across Scotland. The crimes that matter most to people are being successfully tackled by Scotland`s police forces.

“Of particular note, the contribution of Special Constables to the work of policing Scotland cannot be underestimated. The manner in which they are now being managed and deployed has improved dramatically across the country and they are playing a much greater part in policing our communities.”