Wick faces a crime spike, prompting increased police stop & searches. Numbers include assaults, drugs, and road offenses. Focus is on safety.
Hamilton apologized for missing past meetings. He broke his collarbone and could not attend.
The report says Wick had a busy January. Arrest numbers increased significantly. Two new police officers started in Wick too. They are adjusting well to their roles there.
Wick had 33 recorded offenses in January 2025. Ten involved road traffic, while four were dishonesty offenses. There were four assault cases, including one where a person assaulted a police officer. Three were drug-related offenses. Wick also had two sudden deaths. The rest were miscellaneous crimes.
January 2025 saw 144 incidents reported to police. Many calls related to mental health issues.
Police are focusing on several key areas. These include protecting people and reducing antisocial behavior. Reducing violence is another priority, along with tackling substance misuse. They plan to make roads safer and aim to tackle organised crime.
Violence levels remain steady within the area. Police patrol Wick regularly, targeting specific areas where locals reported anti-social behavior. Drug misuse also remains consistent. Officers search people acting suspiciously often, resulting in 29 arrests with custody in January.
Police Scotland shared recent crime data covering April to September. Some teenagers, as young as 14, had weapons and drugs. Police found these during stop-and-search actions.
Caithness police performed 81 stop-and-search duties. These involved people of all ages and revealed issues 32 times, according to a progress report covering the year’s second quarter.