By Drew Sandelands
Copyright glasgowlive
A rise in the number of violent crimes in East Renfrewshire is believed to be due to increased reporting of assaults on emergency workers.
Police chiefs said staff are being encouraged to speak out if they are assaulted at work — with figures expected to increase further.
A report to East Renfrewshire Council showed non-sexual crimes of violence recorded in the area between April and the end of June were 27% higher than the same period last year. In total, there were 176 recorded.
Common assaults on emergency workers increased by 110% on the five-year average, to 24 offences in the first quarter of 2025/26.
While the quarterly report warns “year end reconciliation processes” mean figures are “not appropriate” to use as official statistics, superintendent Paul Douglas, deputy divisional commander for Greater Glasgow, said a “significant proportion of the rise is down to assaults on emergency workers”.
“That can be attributed to a number of things but there’s an ongoing process within Police Scotland that we are encouraging everyone to report assaults on them,” he added.
“We have to highlight that assault on any person is unacceptable, especially in a place of work, and we don’t want police officers to think it’s an occupational hazard, regardless of how minor it might be.
“There is a drive, and there has been in recent years, for full reporting. We do believe that is a proportion of the rise and we do expect it to rise further.”
Cllr Caroline Bamforth, SNP, said the number of assaults was “very disappointing”. She added: “But from what you’ve said, it’s a bit more reassuring in that it’s perhaps not more assaults, but more reporting.”
Council leader Owen O’Donnell, Labour, asked about an increase in hate crimes at what is “obviously a very febrile time nationally and internationally”.
The report stated the number of hate crimes increased by four to 24, when compared to the same quarter last year. Many of these incidents are also related to emergency workers.
Chief inspector Gillian Faulds, area commander for East Renfrewshire, said: “Ten of those incidents relate to police victims, so quite a high proportion of that. Two other incidents relate to the same perpetrator, against shop workers. That perpetrator was a child.”
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