West Lothian - Crime & Community Safety

Scottish police forces issue performance reports by force division based on local beat data. The Lothian & Borders Monthly performance report containing data on crime groups 1-5 is updated monthly on their website. The Scottish Executive also publish crime data by local authority, calculated as rates per 10,000 population. Prior, to the incorporation of the new crime domain in the SIMD 2006, the data used for locality planning was the beat data supplied directly by the police.

In order to put together the data required to inform the locality planning process, work was started in 2005 in partnership with staff from Lothian & Borders Police both locally & at Police Headquarters, to start to map crime across West Lothian. The first stage of this work was to map police beats, in order to display the data.

The initial reports based on beat boundaries are attached, but these should be treated with caution, as the crime groups are still provisional e.g. to simplify reporting rape & attempted rape were included as crimes of violence & the housebreaking figures include non domestic properties such as garages (explanatory file on menu). Note: The West Lothian beats have recently been re-organised to match the multi-member ward boundaries so the beats have been re-mapped, the data re-issued.

The revised SIMD issued in 2006, now contains a crime domain with data mapped to datazone level. However, this data is also still under discussion locally as the methodology used to construct the indicator is still subject to discussion.

Local data, the SIMD data & a report by local authority are attached.

In the longer term it may be that additional reports may focus on groups of crimes/incidents that particularly impact on community wellbeing.

Lothian & Border Police Force - Annual Report 2007-2008 'F' Division - Extract
The report highlights an 11% reduction in reported crime throughout West Lothian and the police have achieved considerable success in detecting offenders. It states that communities are demonstrating a will to work with the police towards ensuring that West Lothian is recognised as a safe place to live, work and visit, and the police are participating fully in the West Lothian Community Planning Partnership and are actively involved in Locality Planning to address the issues that matter to local people. The focus continues to be on the prevention and reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour. The success of partnership funded Safer Neighbourhood Teams saw an additional 12 officers deployed to community based policing and an expansion of the Problem Solving Partnership model, which involves working directly with council Neighbourhood Response Team officers. The impact on community reassurance, along with the reduction of vandalism and anti-social behaviour, is extremely positive and led to the Council funding a further nine officers. This means the Safer Neighbourhood Teams will be extended across all nine wards by the end of this year. In targeting the areas of greater need, the police aim to address the causes of unruly behaviour in situations that require longer-term intervention. Police Officers are working with our safer community partners to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour, alcohol abuse, violence and youth disorder. In addition to the education programme of visits by the Drugs and Alcohol Liaison Officer to schools throughout West Lothian, new initiatives include: Dealing directly with unruly youngsters and the irresponsible consumption of alcohol in public places Involvement of parents and the referral of young people for counselling through the West Lothian Drugs and Alcohol Service Test Purchasing of Alcohol by trained volunteers under the age of 18 Best Bar None Awards for 13 licensed premises Under 21 Scheme trialled by Off-Sales premises in Armadale Along with other services, we follow early intervention and integrated partnership working, particularly in the area of Public Protection (Child Protection, Vulnerable Adults, Domestic Violence and Management of Offenders). The last year has also resulted in the successful investigation of serious crimes, in particular, the arrest and charge of a man in connection with the disappearance of Vicky Hamilton. Our aim is to “… get it right first time …” and provide the people of West Lothian with a high quality of service, ensuring that we operate with integrity and with the trust of the communities we serve.

Lothian & Border Police Force - Annual Report 2007-2008 'F' Division - Extract

The report highlights an 11% reduction in reported crime throughout West Lothian and the police have achieved considerable success in detecting offenders. It states that communities are demonstrating a will to work with the police towards ensuring that West Lothian is recognised as a safe place to live, work and visit, and the police are participating fully in the West Lothian Community Planning Partnership and are actively involved in Locality Planning to address the issues that matter to local people.

The focus continues to be on the prevention and reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour. The success of partnership funded Safer Neighbourhood Teams saw an additional 12 officers deployed to community based policing and an expansion of the Problem Solving Partnership model, which involves working directly with council Neighbourhood Response Team officers. The impact on community reassurance, along with the reduction of vandalism and anti-social behaviour, is extremely positive and led to the Council funding a further nine officers. This means the Safer Neighbourhood Teams will be extended across all nine wards by the end of this year.

In targeting the areas of greater need, the police aim to address the causes of unruly behaviour in situations that require longer-term intervention. Police Officers are working with our safer community partners to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour, alcohol abuse, violence and youth disorder.

In addition to the education programme of visits by the Drugs and Alcohol Liaison Officer to schools throughout West Lothian, new initiatives include:

Dealing directly with unruly youngsters and the irresponsible consumption of alcohol in public places
Involvement of parents and the referral of young people for counselling through the West Lothian Drugs and Alcohol Service
Test Purchasing of Alcohol by trained volunteers under the age of 18
Best Bar None Awards for 13 licensed premises
Under 21 Scheme trialled by Off-Sales premises in Armadale

Along with other services, we follow early intervention and integrated partnership working, particularly in the area of Public Protection (Child Protection, Vulnerable Adults, Domestic Violence and Management of Offenders).

The last year has also resulted in the successful investigation of serious crimes, in particular, the arrest and charge of a man in connection with the disappearance of Vicky Hamilton.

Our aim is to “… get it right first time …” and provide the people of West Lothian with a high quality of service, ensuring that we operate with integrity and with the trust of the communities we serve.

West Lothian Division (F) Local Crime Summary Monthly Comparison - Sept 06, Sept 07 & Sept 08 (No data was published for Oct 07)
	Recorded Sept06	% Solved Sept06	Recorded Sept07	% Solved Sept07	Recorded Sept08	% Solved Sept08
1. Violence	35	69%	25	72%	38	63%
2. Sexual Crime	23	74%	21	52%	16	44%
3. Dishonesty	460	27%	379	31%	393	30%
4. Fireraising & Mischief	364	14%	322	20%	282	23%
5. Other Crimes	108	96%	150	97%	132	101%
All Crimes	990	33%	897	40%	861	40%
Please Note: The data on recorded & solved crime are not directly related, as the crimes recorded in any one period may not be solved for some time.

West Lothing Policing Plan 2008/09

West Lothian Policing Plan 08-09

Police Beat Boundaries

Data was initially mapped against draft beat boundaries. These boundaries have now been re-organised & re-issued, but the map used in the initial report has also been attached.

West Lothian - Crime & Community Safety

West Lothing Policing Plan 2008/09

Police Beat Boundaries

Crime Group Information

Crime Data (04/05 to 06/07)

Crime Links