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| Dundee - Local Initiatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Due to the unique nature of policing in the centre of the city, the focus is based on partnerships with retail, commercial, voluntary bodies and local authority departments. The Beacon Management Committee was formed in 1997 to cement those partnerships. The group meet on a quarterly basis to examine problems and issues within the area and discuss methods of resolving such issues. This group works well together and members agree that very few problems can be solved without working in partnership. Joint initiatives with our partners are regularly undertaken with a view to tackling problems in the area such as retail theft, drug and alcohol misuse, street disorder and the carrying of knives. The main focus of such initiatives is to reduce crime and reduce the fear of crime for both the residents of Dundee and the ever-increasing number of visitors being attracted to the city. Section 2 Officers liaise with locally elected representatives and community groups to identify issues and seek to provide multi-agency solutions to any problems identified. The Section Inspector chairs two Beacon Management Groups which include a range of representatives from council departments, housing agencies, and elected members, all of whom bring their own expertise or resources to a problem solving partnership. Each area within the section has its own priorities, and the policing strategy is to respond to each of these in the most appropriate manner. In the cases of anti-social behaviour and vandalism, for example, and campaigns to tackle under-age drinking, high profile patrols and liaison with the local authority are particularly relevant. Each part of the section has a dedicated liaison officer, and they can be contacted at Lochee Police office, or through their supervisor. Section 3 Officers are determined to tackle nuisance, disorder and vandalism in the area. Community groups such as Kirkton Tackle Crime and the Finmill Community Safety Panel help to identify local problems where resources can be deployed effectively. One of the major sources of complaints reported to police is the problem of youths drinking in public places and the anti-social behaviour that can follow. Regular patrols of local haunts are made in order to address the issue, and any person found breaking the law is dealt with appropriately. This assists in reducing the amount of associated problems. Section 4 Four liaison officers work closely with the community to resolve problems and give practical advice including crime prevention. The Section Inspector and his staff work closely with partner agencies in a multi-agency approach to solving problems. 'Hot Spot' areas are identified and all agencies work together to solve the problems for the community. Recent action plans have tackled under-age drinking, youths causing annoyance, car crime, house breaking, drug dealing and prostitution. Section 5 All issues are tackled using focused deployment of resources in conjunction with specialist departments and most importantly the community. Feedback is sought and received through regular consultation with locally elected representatives, groups and organisations. We are always open to suggestions as to how we may improve our service to you so if you would like to contact us please do so and remember we would also like to hear from you when our service has been to your satisfaction. YOUTH INITIATIVES - Central Division TRUANCY INITIATIVE A joint initiative with Home School Support Services. It was identified that large numbers of young people were not attending school each day and that many were frequenting the city centre area of Dundee. The Education Department brought an "Out of School Pass" scheme into operation whereby every child out of school for a legitimate reason has to obtain a pass. Police Officers and School Welfare Officers working in pairs patrol areas frequented by the young people and stop them to ascertain if they have an "Out of School Pass". Those who do not, have their details noted and the Education Department subsequently write to their parents/guardian advising them their child has been out of school without authorisation. The Initiative is ongoing and intelligence led. Where possible local Police Liaison Officers work in partnership with Education Welfare Officers responsible for schools in their area. As a direct result of the partnership working, police and education staff are working together to combat youth problems in the Whorterbank area of Dundee. This involves joint patrols during the school day by staff from each agency. JOINT WORKING In order to promote a better working relationship between Police and the Social Work Department C.I.S give an input to newly qualified social workers employed by Dundee City Council. This input covers the function of the police, their role in relation to young people, particularly those in care and the justice system. The second part of the input is dedicated to looking at the drug laws and drugs in general to raise awareness of the types of situation staff may encounter. PEER EDUCATION DRUG PROJECT This project work is taking place in a number of schools in Dundee and the project leaders work closely with the Police Drug Prevention Officer and the police liaison officers for the school in which the projects are being run. The group identifies young people in 2nd year at the schools in which they work and run a 12-week drug education package, which includes a residential weekend to teach them about drugs and peer education. After this training period the young people then work in their feeder primary schools and deliver drug education to children in primaries 6 and 7. At all times they are supported by project workers. This project is still being evaluated but is known to promote a much deeper knowledge of drugs issues in all the groups involved. SAFETAYSIDERS (DUNDEE) This project which promotes personal safety, runs across the Force area and is generally run by the relevant Community Safety Offices in each division. First run in 1990, the participants take part in interactive scenarios which teach them how to deal with different situations in a safe environment. Partners include Tayside Fire Brigade, Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Hydro Electric, Transco, R.N.L.I, Dundee City Council and Countryside Wardens. KICK IT KICK OFF This project is a football-based course aimed at youngsters who are at risk due to offending or having difficulties within main stream education. It uses sport as the basis for addressing issues such as behaviour and other related problems such as substance misuse. The aim is to help to develop the young people and divert them from disruptive and negative behaviour. BEACON WARNINGS This initiative is designed to make contact with the parents of youths who are identified by local police officers as being on the fringes of criminal activity or engaging in anti-social behaviour towards other persons within the Community, by congregating in large numbers and creating noise or litter nuisance. A letter is sent to the parents of those identified, pointing out their child's actions and encouraging them to take responsibility for their child's behaviour. On a second occasion a child is found to be involved in anti-social behaviour a warning is given by the Local Liaison Sergeant. On the third or subsequent occasion a referral is submitted to the Children Reporter Services. JOINT WORKING Working on training with organisations such as Helm Training, Ergo Training, Henry Boot training, Rathborne Training and Dundee College. All of these agencies are providing training to young people who have specific behavioural and inclusion issues. COMMUNITY CLEAN UP Cheviot Crescent, Fintry Housing Estate in Dundee has seen most of the multi tenanted housing blocks demolished and the remaining houses re-developed over the past few years. What was once a busy street with many families has become quiet and almost deserted by comparison. All this change has had an adverse effect on local services provided. A small shopping precinct in Cheviot Crescent which has a public house, grocer, bookmaker, etc, has been neglected for many years, been starved of investment and used as a graffiti canvas by the local young people and as a dumping ground for rubbish by residents. It is fair to say that it is in a poor state of repair. The community, encouraged by Constables Ellis and Whyte, has started on the long road to reclaiming this precinct. Residents, police and young people had a clean up initiative lasting 3 days which saw the planting of flowers, grass cutting and shrub clearance along with the removal of around 25 tons of rubbish. There are plans in hand to have community representatives re-paint the graffiti walls with community art. This work was enabled by the generosity of the local B&Q store, which donated tools and paint free of charge. NEW COMMUNITY SAFETY PANEL The Ardler housing estate in Dundee has seen huge changes over the past 4 years with a long-term programme of urban regeneration. Several multi-storey blocks and several hundred dormitory type houses have been demolished making way for modern, high quality, low-density dwellings. As the new builds have been occupied, many community issues have emerged and the local liaison officer has encouraged the formation of a new community safety panel to improve the identification of these problems and streamline a uniformed response from the many partnership agencies in the panel. Police, social services, health service providers, housing association and of course, residents. A spin-off benefit is that the forum allows the agencies to return information to the community through the group. |
