Acquisitive crime in Edinburgh falls by 7.3 per cent

There has been a 7.3 per cent city-wide drop in acquisitive crime compared to this time last year, according to a new report before Edinburgh City Council.

The report details the activities of 44 council-funded police officers between October 2019 and the end of March.

Since 2003 the council has funded policing in local neighbourhoods and the city centre.

Community officers monitor specific neighbourhood areas and carry out targeted innervations aimed at detecting and disrupting anti-social behaviour.

Between October and March council-funded officers carried out 462 interventions relating to hate crime incidents and 1089 interventions relating to antisocial behaviour, a 3.7 per cent drop on the previous 2018/2019 year.

Community officers engaged in 107 road safety operations, and distributed 23 tickets and 375 warnings on issues pertaining to road safety.

In the south east of the city community officers seized more than £270,000 worth of drugs in the final three months of last year.

Meanwhile, in south west Edinburgh between January and April, drugs valued at £97,740 and £16,000 in cash was recovered.

Despite coronavirus-related difficulties, between January and April 18 warrants were executed by south west community officers and 20 individuals were charged in relation to associated drug offences.

In the 2019/2020 financial period the local authority gave Police Scotland £2.08 million to fund 35 ‘named’ community police officers, eight family and household support officers and one youth justice officer, responsible for coordinating force activity around the development of youth services.

However, in February this year the council agreed to cut community police funding by £1.5 million.

The cut came into effect at the beginning of April, leaving only the eight family and household support officers and one youth justice officer.

Superintendent Richard Thomas said: “I am pleased to present the latest joint report with colleagues from Police Scotland covering the period October 2019 to March 2020.

“Despite the recent reduction in overall funding available to support the union between Family and Household Support and Police Scotland it is clear that the combined effort of officers and staff remains an imperative ingredient to effective teamwork.

“The service remains committed to working in close partnership with colleagues in Police Scotland. We continue to build strong synergies in the way we assess and respond to those who may be in need of support and protection.”