Capital Cops

As Local Area Commander for the South East of Edinburgh, I have the enviable responsibility for overseeing our activities to keep the public safe within the city centre during the festive period.

However, in a year like no other, the usual calendar of events have been cancelled, but rest assured we will still deploy appropriate resources to deter criminal activity and offer reassurance over the coming weeks.

Notwithstanding the consequences of, and continued challenges posed by COVID-19, officers remain focused on both serving our local communities and delivering on our core commitments. In my final column of the year, I thought I would share our ongoing activities, with a focus on our work to effect positive and sustainable long term change within a few key areas.

Community Safety remains a priority, and while local officers maintain a visible presence in and around known areas of community concern, our response has been strengthened by collaborative work with partners. Whilst not an exhaustive list, we have benefited from the expertise of a number of professionals including support workers, relevant Housing Associations, British Transport Police, City of Edinburgh Council and third sector agencies, and it goes without saying that I remain grateful for their continued support.

We continue to recognise the impact of antisocial behaviour on our communities and recent operations have centred on addressing adult street drinking, associated violence and anti-social behaviour within the Old Town. In addition, we have been targeting youth-related antisocial behaviour in and around the east end of Princes Street.

During these operations, we have utilised a range of measures, from enforcement to more preventative and diversionary tactics and will continue to target hotspot areas for antisocial behaviour across the South East.

In the case of the Old Town, support workers were available to provide one to one engagement and signposting to addiction services, whilst youth engagement reinforced the impact of individual and collective behaviour, with positive local activities having been signposted. That said, it’s important to stress that alternative measures in no way superseded the use of enforcement, where appropriate.

Partnership working will continue to play a vital role in addressing some of the root causes of antisocial behaviour and I look forward to building on our excellent working relationship with all relevant agencies in support of our efforts.

Drugs also remain a local priority, and similar to antisocial behaviour, our response is multi-faceted. I have dedicated officers identifying and actively pursuing those supplying and using drugs, as a counterpoint, my School Liaison Officers focus on prevention through education, delivering inputs and engaging with pupils within local schools. I’ve previously discussed the harm caused by Serious and Organised Crime, and I am delighted to report that the awareness raising programme within Burdiehouse, Moredun and Gracemount was well received.

I have spoken in the past about thefts from vehicles, sheds and garages. With the darker nights now providing would-be thieves with additional opportunity, I again reiterate the benefits and importance of ensuring that vehicles are locked and any valuable items removed. Bikes remain a common stolen item, so please review your security for areas where these are stored.

With many of you still working from home, or utilising online platforms more, it is important that everyone stays safe online . With that in mind, could I ask that you visit www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/keep-secure-online for really useful advice to help stop you falling victim to scams and other digital offences.

Chief Inspector Sam Ainslie is Local Area Commander for South East Edinburgh