POLICE chiefs have faced a grilling over a decline in violent crime detection rates.

Port councillor Jim MacLeod quizzed top officers at a meeting after a report showed the clear-up figure had plummeted to just 59 per cent between April and October last year, compared to a five-year average of 72 per cent.

Detection of assaults also fell during the seven-month spell to 63 per cent, against a five-year standard of 69 per cent.

Overall crime fell by 3.2 per cent between April and October compared to the same period in 2020, according to the report.

Police insist the coronavirus pandemic has led to them playing 'catch-up' over some incidents, due to not being able to go out and see people they needed to.

But Councillor MacLeod demanded answers on why other forms of communication were not being used to gather information.

He said: “People who are giving information do not necessarily want police coming to their door in the first place.

“There are so many ways of contacting people now through Facebook and email.

"Can we not be contacting people through these means to help with detection rates?”

Superintendent Vicky Little told the elected member that detection rates are monitored on a weekly basis.

She added: “Sometimes we do need to make personal contact but we’re very mindful of people’s right to privacy and it’s something we will bear in mind.

“I just want to provide reassurance we will take all opportunities and use learning from across the division to make sure those who are identified as being responsible are held to account and arrested or charged for the offence.”

New figures have also revealed a decline in the detection rate for fire-raising crimes.

It has fallen from a five-year average of 14 per cent to 11 per cent between April and October.

Chief Inspector Paul Cameron, the area commander for Inverclyde, says he is confident the statistics will improve soon.

He said: “When you look across Scotland, every division is experiencing the same thing.

“Quite simply it is down to Covid. 

"People have been self-isolating and we haven’t been able to get to some people, so it’s been a bit more difficult.

“While our detection rate is showing lower than we would want, I’m very confident because these enquiries are still ongoing. 

“There’s just a wee bit of catch up for us.

"The rate will definitely be higher when we’ve finished those enquiries.”