A RISE in rape and sexual assaults in Glasgow has led to police officers warning departments are at breaking point.
Officers from the rape and domestic abuse unit in the city are dealing with 584 live cases, it has been revealed.
With just four Senior Investigating Officers, who are Detective Inspectors, police officers’ representatives have said it is not sustainable and is taking its toll on the staff.
READ NEXT: Keir Starmer pledges to raise defence spending but won't rule out other cuts
The figures are reported in the latest edition of 1919 police magazine.
David Kennedy, Scottish Police Federation general secretary, said: “The service is breaking them and some of those officers are broken.
“We can’t continue to have a police service that does more with less.
“We are spinning workloads like spinning plates and that ultimately only ends one way.”
The magazine revealed the details obtained under freedom of information.
It reported police sources stating the highest number of cases handled by one SIO was 176.
The source said: “Figures show around 70% of all High Court trials relate to sexual offences and yet the resources Police Scotland put into investigating rape are a fraction of the overall investigative resources they’ve got”.
READ NEXT: Inspections at 7 Glasgow homeless hotels reveal 'defects and issues'
“The force would rather spend money on the organised crime side of the business.
“It’s a massive issue that officers working in sexual offences investigation have been flagging up for years. It is significantly under-resourced.”
The total number of cases recorded by Police Scotland between April and September last year was 1400, 19.5% higher than the 850 in the same period the previous year.
Sandy Brindley, Rape Crisis Scotland chief executive, said: “Despite a rise in the number of reported rapes in Scotland, support for survivors remains desperately under-resourced and under-funded.
“We know that from our own work, but these figures are a stark reminder of how this extends to policing too.
“One senior officer, no matter how skilled they are, cannot possibly oversee 176 live rape investigations properly.
READ NEXT: 10 firms in the Glasgow area named for not paying National Minimum Wage
Steve Johnson, Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable, said: “The significant increase in reporting of rape and sexual crime indicates a growing confidence in victims to come forward knowing they will be listened to, supported and that their case will be fully investigated.
“Work is ongoing across the organisation to support our vision of policing, which includes strengthening the frontline and ensuring we have the right people in the right places to meet this increased demand.
“We are also reviewing the workloads of SIOs nationally to develop an approach which ensures every report receives the best investigation and that SIOs are supported in dealing with the increase in demand.
“Senior Investigating Officers provide oversight to large teams of specialist detectives who carry out a range of different roles as part of these detailed investigations.
“Preventing rape and sexual crime is our ultimate goal and we work closely with a range of partners and across communities to tackle violence against women and girls.”
Share