NOTEBOOK

Round-up of policing and justice developments 

Increased crime reports coming down the tracks

More Scots are using the British Transport Police (BTP) text number to report live crimes on the rail network.

Research by 1919 has revealed there were 3,189 reports made on the 61016 service, which is widely promoted by the force on trains and in stations.

It compares to 3,010 in 2023, and works out at around nine incidents per day across Scotland, known as the BTP’s D division.

Reports of anti-social behaviour accounted for most cases, followed by serious public order matters, and concerns for an adult.

There were also 33 reports of sexual offences, as well as 21 domestic incidents.

E-bike offensive sparks widespread results for police

A crackdown on e-bikes helped officers seize drugs, cash, and led to a number of individuals being charged for a range of offences.

Police in Aberdeen led an operation throughout May to address the rising problem of disorder and antisocial behaviour being spread by criminals on e-bikes and e-scooters.

As a result, 16 of the contraptions were seized, along with two motorbikes and a van.

Officers also confiscated £10,000 in cash, and thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and cannabis.

Nearly 40 people were charged as part of the operation, which local officers hailed as having a “significant impact” on crime.

No-blames bonus

The number of road collisions where Police Scotland accepted full or partial blame has dropped to a five-year low.

The 511 incidents in 2024 represents a 20 per cent reduction from five years ago.

But the number of overall road traffic incidents involving a police vehicle also fell, meaning the proportion where officers were found to be at fault has risen slightly to around 43.5 per cent.

Senior officers previously raised concerns about a significant backlog of officers awaiting advanced driver training.

Police hope fireworks conviction is first of many

A man who peddled fireworks to youths in Edinburgh ahead of widespread disorder last year has been convicted.

Jordan McMillan, 24, was found guilty of culpable and reckless conduct after providing pyrotechnics to individuals who then threw them at police.

The capital endured significant disorder between Halloween and Bonfire Night last year, and officers hope the conviction will deter others from similar activity in future years.

“McMillan did not act in isolation and is only one of several individuals responsible for the offences we saw,” Chief Superintendent David Robertson warned, adding that more “positive court outcomes” are imminent.

He will be sentenced later this month.

‘Simple’ changes save time for officers and victims

A new approach to interviews, which enables officers to probe individuals in police stations rather than custody centres, has been hailed for its efficiency.

Chief Constable Jo Farrell said the “simple change” involving lower-level crimes has saved “thousands of hours” for Scottish officers since being introduced in November.

She added: “These changes free up officers to spend more time carrying out their duties in our communities and provide resolution for victims and witnesses much more quickly.”

Booze tags for drunk offenders

Criminals whose wrongdoing was fuelled by alcohol should be fitted with a monitoring tag to stop them drinking, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

The plan to roll-out the devices, aimed at cutting reoffending rates and helping convicts overcome alcohol addiction, was a central policy pledge from the party’s recent conference in Edinburgh.

A similar scheme is underway in England and Wales, and justice spokesperson Liam Kerr said the move could be implemented under existing powers.

“These tags would be used for those on community sentences and those who offend under the influence of alcohol,” he added.

Finders keepers

An appeal to find the owner of a lost rucksack is likely to fall on deaf ears, after officers quipped that the bag was filled with drugs.

The community team in Edinburgh’s Wester Hailes found the black accessory in June while patrolling nearby Stenhouse Crescent.

In a social media post, they urged the owner to get in touch to reclaim their mislaid bag.

But they added: “We will keep the large quantities of drugs that were in the bag for further enquiry.”

Hiring ex-prisoners could unearth ‘next Richard Branson’

Hiring former prisoners would benefit society and could unearth “potential Richard Bransons”, one of the country’s largest catering businesses has said.

Paisley-based Angela Halliday, a social value boss for Sodexo, said her firm recruited more than 100 staff straight from jail last year.

And she told the podcast Let’s Talk Social Value, run by Scottish company Samtaler, that other businesses should follow suit.

“By doing this we have absolutely increased the number and diversity of our workforce across multiple sectors,” she said.

Best of British

Scotland’s transport police are the best performing in the UK, solving more than double the rate of crimes than their English counterparts.

The officers have been hailed by new British Transport Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith.

He pointed to the 38 per cent success rate north of the border, which compares to 14 per cent for the rest of Britain.

He added that, with around 81 million passenger journeys a year in Scotland, the chances of being a victim of crime on the rail network stands at around 0.0063 per cent.

“Since my appointment I have been struck by the professionalism and dedication that our Scottish officers and staff have to deter criminality on the railway and keep the public safe,” he said.

King’s honours for Police Scotland duo

A recently retired senior officer and a human resources boss were among Police Scotland figures to be recognised in the King’s latest honours.

Gary Ritchie, who retired as Assistant Chief Constable in April, was awarded the prestigious King’s Police Medal.

And chief officer of human resources Nicky Page, who was key to streamlining force systems following the move from eight legacy forces in 2013, received an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours.

Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “Police officers, staff and volunteers work hard to deliver for our communities and these awards are an opportunity to thank them and celebrate their huge contributions to society.”

Ruff justice?

Justice Secretary Angela Constance has sidestepped claims of a cover-up over the death of police dog Zara.

The two-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd was put down last December after breaking her pelvis on a walk with her handler.

Police Scotland denied the £12,000 surgery cost was a factor, saying the decision was based on veterinary advice and concern for her quality of life.

But medical records show vets said Zara had “a great prognosis once recovered”.

At Holyrood, Tory MSP Douglas Ross claimed the inspector leading an “independent” review was the same one who authorised the euthanasia.

Constance said she had been told it was a different officer and urged Ross to raise the matter with Chief Constable Jo Farrell.

Overtime and mental health absences soar

Police officers worked almost four and a half million hours of overtime over the last five years, according to new figures.

In 2024/25 alone, cops worked 773,151 hours of overtime – which cost over £28 million – the data obtained by the Scottish Conservatives shows.

The party’s justice spokesperson Liam Kerr said: “These figures expose the immense strain that Police Scotland officers are under, with millions of hours in overtime being notched up.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour separately published figures showing stress and mental health absences have soared by over 50 per cent.

Justice spokesperson Pauline McNeill said: “It’s clear police in Scotland are at breaking point.”

Police Scotland said health and welfare “remains one of [the force’s] highest priorities”, while the Scottish Government said it is investing a record sum in policing.