Tayside Police's crime recording system indicate:
203 offences committed in 2010 and
118 offences during 2011 (up to and including 14 October).
This is an alarming picture.
Any crime committed in or around our our schools is something to be concerned about. And some of the offences committed are indeed very serious and very concerning. These include: fire raising, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of drugs and indecent assault.
Tayside Police warned however that:
'In relation to the above figures, the following factors should be taken into consideration:
- Some incidents may well have occurred outwith normal school hours or during weekends or holidays when the premises are empty.
- Some incidents may be described and therefore reported as taking place at a school when they may in fact be completely unrelated to the organisation - for example a disturbance outside the premises.'
Taken together with the refusal of Tayside Police to break down the crime statistics to each of the 46 primary and secondary schools in the city (excluding Kingspark School and Nursery Schools), it is difficult to know whether there any potential hot spots in terms of neighbourhoods where schools are located or any particular schools to be concerned about.
Where offences have been committed in our schools during school hours, I commend our Head Teachers who have summoned Tayside Police to intervene in response to these.
There is however no room for complacency. The safety of our pupils and staff in our schools must be our priority.
I have written to the Director of Education to ask him to add this report to the agenda of the Education Review Group who will be meeting next week. I want to know whether there is anything the Director believes would help make our schools safer places to learn and work.
