INVERCLYDE’S top police officer has pledged to make a renewed push to drive down violent crime after telling councillors he was ‘disappointed’ the local rate had not fallen.

Statistics compiled for Inverclyde Council’s police and fire scrutiny panel showed that overall violent crime in the district rose year-on-year by 1.2 per cent between April 1, 2023 and February 29 this year.

A total of 684 violent crimes were reported during the period, representing an additional eight when compared to 2022/23.

Despite the slight rise, Chief Superintendent Gordon McCreadie, who is Inverclyde and Renfrewshire division’s local policing commander, said he was pleased to report that Inverclyde’s rate of violent crime remained below the national rate.

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He said: “Whilst I’d be pleased to report a reduction, I’ll accept a statistically stable picture with a rise of just over one per cent.

“I am disappointed we’ve not managed to reduce violent crime across the area, however, I am content to say that we’ve managed to control it at previously recorded levels.”

The report revealed that more than half of all recorded crimes of violence had occurred within private dwellings.

It was stated that such crimes presented ‘unique’ challenges to police due to fewer prevention opportunities and limited access to avenues of investigation such as CCTV and witnesses.

Ch Supt McCreadie went on to highlight the fact that the number of serious violent incidents reported had dropped, despite the overall increase.

He added: “There were 11 fewer crimes of serious violence, and serious violence includes robberies, serious assaults, etcetera, so those with a greater physical impact perhaps on those affected.

“However, that was offset by 17 more minor assaults.

“I’m pleased to report that the rate of violent crime in Inverclyde is lower than the national average, with 87.9 crimes per 10,000 of population compared to 105 across the rest of Scotland so that’s pleasing for us in terms of the communities of Inverclyde.

“I’m pleased to also report that over two thirds of violent crime is solved by police and reported to the Crown Office for consideration and prosecution, that is a very positive trend in terms of detection rates.”

The police chief told elected members that his officers would continue to tackle violent crime locally, but pointed out that many of its drivers were factors that police could not control.  

He said: “We will continue to work alongside partners to try and prevent violence occurring in the first place.

“However, some of the significant drivers for violence are outwith the control and ability of the police to shape, such as deprivation, poverty, housing, food provision, digital exclusion, etcetera, much of that is driven by societal challenges.

“We will do our best to prevent violence and disorder where we can.”