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STV News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Over a third of Scots say crime is rising amid police resource concerns
More than a third of Scots believe the crime rate has increased in their local community, with widespread public fears that police officers do not have sufficient resources. In a new opinion poll conducted by Survation, 13% of people in Scotland said crime has risen a lot in the past two years and a further 21% said it has gone up a little. Only 11% said they feel the rate has fallen. At the same time, most Scots feel that police officers in their local area do not have the necessary resources to prevent crime happening in the first place. There was, however, more confidence in the force being able to solve crimes that have occurred. Justice secretary Angela Constance said she was 'concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some', but said Scotland 'continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991'. Opposition parties warned of an 'epidemic of serious violence' and called for measures to 'restore confidence in our policing and justice system'. David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), said officers are 'hamstrung' because they are dealing with too many health-related issues – often being the first point of contact when someone is in mental health distress. The poll was published on Tuesday in the July edition of 1919 Magazine. David Threadgold, chair of the SPF, said: 'If the government is genuinely concerned about policing and the electorate's perception of crime, then it should take heed of this poll. 'When police have the tools and the resources, they have the ability to get the job done – but at present we're not able to carry out basic police functions like interacting with the public to prevent crime in the first place. 'Operational cops are hamstrung because they are carrying out health functions. 'Policing has got to become a greater priority for government.' The Survation poll of 1,003 people in Scotland aged 16 and above was conducted for 1919 Magazine between June 9 and 12. Respondents were asked: 'How much would you say the crime rate in your local area has changed since two years ago?' A combined total of 34% said 'a lot more' or 'a little more', 44% said 'about the same', and 11% said 'a lot less' or 'a little less'. The poll also asked people how confident they are about police in their local area having sufficient resources. Nearly two-thirds (62%) said they are not confident there are resources to prevent crime happening in the first place, while 49% said the same for dealing with incidents as they occur. In terms of solving crimes, there was a more even split – with 43% expressing confidence and 46% stating the opposite. Asked about the visibility of cops in their community, only 33% said they are confident there are enough resources for this. Scottish Labour's justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill MSP said: 'Everyone should be able to feel safe in their local community. However, this poll suggests that for too many people, that is sadly not the case. 'This pinpoints exactly the problem with policing under the SNP – it has allowed basic policing to decline, therefore trust in the police service is being eroded. 'Members of the public must be given the reassurance that when they need help, our police will be there for them. 'Unfortunately, this SNP government has failed to back Police Scotland, just as it has allowed public services to decline. 'It is testament to the dedication of officers that, despite the challenges they are facing, there is confidence in the police to solve crimes and investigate incidents after they occur. 'Scottish Labour will tackle the epidemic of serious violence and restore confidence in our policing and justice system.' Scottish Conservative community safety spokesperson Sharon Dowey MSP added: 'This damning survey exposes how badly the SNP's soft-touch justice system is failing Scots. 'The nationalists have consistently cut police resource, which has left them unable to investigate certain crimes. 'Law-abiding Scots have clearly lost trust in the SNP's system which continually panders to offenders and leaves victims as an afterthought. 'SNP ministers need to urgently show some common sense and start to prioritise frontline policing by delivering the resources required to keep communities safe.' Justice secretary Angela Constance pointed to a record budget from the Scottish Government for policing. 'Our thoughts remain with anyone affected by crime and I am concerned to hear there is a perceived increase in crime being experienced by some,' she told 1919. 'I want to reassure people that Scotland continues to be a safe place to live with reported crime falling by more than half since 1991. 'This is backed up by the recently published Recorded Crime in Scotland 2024/25, which shows reported crime falling by more than half since 1991 and the flagship Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which also showed people feel safer in their communities. 'This year we will invest £4.2bn across the justice system including a record £1.64bn for policing – an increase of £90m on 2024/25. 'Our continued investment has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. There were 16,553 police officers as of March 31, 2025.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
03-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Sex crime cops 'at breaking point' as one officer left handling 176 cases
Police teams investigating rape and serious sexual assault in Scotland are are being pushed to the brink – with one officer juggling a staggering 176 live cases. Shocking figures reveal just four senior detectives are currently handling 584 ongoing rape and domestic abuse cases in Glasgow alone. It's sparked fury from campaigners who say survivors are being 'devastatingly' let down, while the Scottish Police Federation has warned that frontline officers are 'broken'. The eye-watering caseload has been uncovered through a Freedom of Information request obtained through the 1919 Magazine, exposing the brutal strain on Scotland's sexual offences units. Rape Crisis Scotland Chief executive Sandy Brindley said: 'One officer, no matter how good they are, cannot manage 176 rape investigations properly. "Rape is already a notoriously under-reported crime. For that to change, survivors need to feel able to report what has happened to them to police. This setup falls devastatingly short of offering any of that.' The crisis comes as rape cases across the country have soared by a third over the last decade, with more victims finally feeling able to report what happened to them. But while reports are up, resources haven't followed – and frontline units are buckling under the pressure. Figures show that from April to September last year alone, rape reports rose by almost 20% compared to the same period in 2022. And with an average of six rapes recorded every day in Scotland, campaigners say the justice system is failing to keep pace. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. A police source told 1919 Magazine: 'Around 70 per cent of all High Court trials relate to sexual offences and yet the resources Police Scotland put into investigating rape are a fraction of the overall investigative resources they've got 'It's a massive issue that officers working in sexual offences investigation have been flagging up for years. It is significantly under-resourced." The four detectives leading Glasgow's rape investigations – all detective inspectors – are classed as Senior Investigating Officers. They're expected to oversee every aspect of a case from the moment a report comes in. But with each managing more than 100 cases, and one handling 176 alone, even basic oversight is becoming impossible. Scottish Police Federation boss David Kennedy said the impact is hitting hard: 'The service is breaking them – and some are already broken. We can't continue to have a police service that does more with less. 'We are spinning workloads like spinning plates and that ultimately only ends one way." Police Scotland's Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson insisted steps are being taken to address the problem. He said: "The significant increase in reporting of rape and sexual crime indicates a growing confidence in victims to come forward knowing they will be listened to, supported and that their case will be fully investigated. 'Work is ongoing across the organisation to support our vision of policing, which includes strengthening the frontline. 'We are also reviewing the workloads of SIOs nationally to develop an approach which ensures every report receives the best investigation and that SIOs are supported in dealing with the increase in demand. 'Preventing rape and sexual crime is our ultimate goal and we work closely with a range of partners and across communities to tackle violence against women and girls.'
