Job of police made worthwhile by the people around us - Patricia Clark

​Chief Inspector Patricia Clark, Local Area Commander, North West Edinburgh​Chief Inspector Patricia Clark, Local Area Commander, North West Edinburgh
​Chief Inspector Patricia Clark, Local Area Commander, North West Edinburgh
Returning to the north-west of Edinburgh after some time away has been a delight; this is such a varied area full of interesting people with a strong sense of community in lots of different forms.

I have had the good fortune to be a police officer working from Drylaw Police Station a number of times in my career, and it is wonderful to be working here again.

I have taken on a role which was held by Neil Wilson, who has previously written in this column of his belief that policing is not done in isolation and has lauded the benefits of listening to each other as we strive to improve the area. I could not agree more and wish to thank him for his commitment to the area and for his work during his time here. I will continue his approach to building relationships, working collaboratively and listening to the challenges that people face. I will do all that I can to support the response to those challenges.

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I am, fundamentally, a people person and that has changed little in my 21 years as a police officer. My roles have either focused on people in the public domain, with experience in community policing and safer communities, or on people within the organisation in learning and development roles. I believe that being invested in people allows for rich communication and a greater understanding of problems. Relationships are at the heart of everything I do.

I have already had the benefit of a public meeting in South Queensferry, where I heard of concerns around anti-social use of vehicles. Listening to concerns and having an opportunity for discussion was beneficial in making future plans to respond to the issue. I have also attended a meeting with youth providers and support agencies, discussing the challenges faced by young people in the West Pilton area and making plans to further support them. This formal approach, known as the Pilton Project, demonstrates our commitment to community policing, which is matched by our partners and other agencies in the area who work tirelessly to support communities impacted by serious and organised crime.

Sometimes, for a number of reasons, people do not wish to engage directly with the police and I have also met with MSPs and local councillors who have raised concerns on behalf of their constituents. These discussions are hugely beneficial and provide a richness of information beyond what police are told directly, and I look forward to strengthening these relationships as time goes on.

I have been astounded by the efforts being made by everyone involved in this area, not least members of the community themselves, who all have a genuine commitment to improvement. I am proud of the officers and staff in my own teams, who work alongside partners in longer term projects and who respond to spontaneous and emergency situations in a variety of different ways. Policing is relentless, but it is made worthwhile by the people we work with and the communities around us. It’s good to be back.

Chief Inspector Patricia Clark is Local Area Commander, North West Edinburgh

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