POLICE Scotland has just released management information relating to policing activity, including recorded crime, the number of incidents reported to the police and user satisfaction, between April and September.

I continue to be extremely grateful for the support my officers and staff receive from our partners and the community in ensuring that East Lothian continues to be a safe place to live.

Violent crime remains low in East Lothian in comparison to many other areas. Serious crimes of violence have risen compared to last year; in the main this is due to an increase in serious assaults, partly due to changes in how different types of injuries are classified. The offender and victims, in almost all of these cases were known to each other. My officers, supported by specialist teams, have ensured that 75 per cent of those reported have been detected and perpetrators swiftly brought to justice. The communities in East Lothian have identified reducing violent crime as a priority and my officers remain determined to continue their robust response in this area.

There has been increased reporting of sexual crimes. We are taking every opportunity presented to us to deal with offences within a domestic setting, and I’m always encouraged if people feel more confident in reporting such crimes, no matter how long ago they may have happened. This is borne out by the fact that of the sexual offences reported this year, almost half of those are historical in nature, with some dating back to the 1960s. These crimes are investigated just as thoroughly as recent offences and we will always take all necessary steps to keep the public safe.

In relation to dishonesty-related crime, the number of domestic housebreakings is similar to last year, with reductions moving into Quarter 3. There have also been marked improvements in detected crimes in relation to domestic housebreakings over recent weeks; in fact, we have arrested a number of groups over the last few days in connection with housebreakings in the county. We will continue our efforts to robustly pursue those responsible and continue to undertake patrols and promote prevention activity where necessary.

It is also pleasing to see motor vehicle crime and shoplifting offences reduced compared to last year. We have also been working closely with retailers to promote crime prevention throughout the area and this will continue.

An ongoing focus over the remainder of the year will be to continue to ensure road users are safe on East Lothian’s roads. Local officers are working closely with road policing officers targeting known problematic routes at peak times in an effort to change driver behaviour. I am pleased to report that East Lothian has seen significant reductions in people killed or seriously injured on our roads over the first half of this year, and we remain committed to working with partner agencies to make our roads safer for all.