antisocial behaviour – Page 16 – The NEN

Operation Quarterlight: cracking down on car crime

Quarterlight update: six arrests last week

Operation Quarterlight is a Police Scotland initiative aimed at tackling motor vehicle crime in hotspot areas. Since the start of the initiative in January 2015, local officers involved in the operation have made 24 arrests and solved 68 crimes related to motor vehicle offences.

In the last week officers in Edinburgh have arrested five men and one woman for various offences related to motor vehicles crimes. Of those arrested a 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody on multiple charges.

Additionally in the last week there has been 15 stop searches in hotspot areas and 41 bail curfew checks completed on some of Edinburgh’s most prolific offenders.

Police have also charged a 41-year-old woman with the theft of a pedal cycle. This had previously been advertised as for sale on a website. The bike has now been recovered and returned to its owner.

PS Tom Mallinson, who runs the Quarterlight team, said: “We have solved almost seventy crimes since Quarterlight began and well over half of these relate to vehicle crime. We are quite clear with offenders – we will continue to investigate all crimes linked to vehicles across the city.

“Many of these individuals will be involved in assaults, hate crimes, vandalisms and serious driving offences while in the commission of motor vehicle offences and our team has prioritised access to forensic services, CCTV and national vehicle crime experts to combat the challenge of autocrime.”

Chief Superintendent Mark Williams, who oversees Operation Quarterlight locally, pressed home the point about car security and improving results. He said: “We have seen a week on week increase in detection rates, as well as a driving down of car crime as the message gets out.

“We have increased preventative night time patrols in hot spot areas and officers have conducted over a hundred searches resulting in numerous arrests.

“We still want car owners to be careful – secure their vehicles, park in well-lit and overlooked spots and ensure valuable items are removed or at least not on show in their vehicles.”

#StrongerNorth: Action Update

Steady progress on tackling community concerns

How has the #StrongerNorth initiative been performing?The latest figures, compiled at the end of January, are very encouraging:

Housing

• 17 housing enforcement actions taken against residents in response to behaviour

Including 13 warnings, 1 Final Warning, 1 Notice to Quit, 1 Notice of Proceedings for Recovery of Possession, 1 ASBO under consideration.

Offending

· 7 Young people identified and targeted due to offending (Police, Council, Social work etc)

· 3 charged as adults, 2 in Children’s Hearing system and 2 in court system (last four all reducing offending)

· 4 young people subject to Movement Restriction Condition

· 4 young people placed in secure accommodation in last 12 months (2 twice)

· Calls to Police have really reduced between October and December 2014 (209 to 119 calls)

· Reduction in offences committed by the most problematic young people – including a significant drop by one prolific housebreaker.

Youth Work

• Positive engagement over a number of weeks with group working on bothy at Towford

• Conversation cafe with Positive Prison organised for 30 January.

Employment and Training

• Employment experience and training programme developed by Council, Urban Union and Edinburgh College. First group ready to benefit.

Pre-School and School

• Respect programme expanded to Craigroyston and Forthview Primary Schools

• Youth Engagement Programme at Crewe Road Fire station – participants selected from Craigroyston Community High School.

Physical Improvements

• Community clean ups in backgreen at West Pilton Gardens/Crossway and roadside verge along Granton Mill well-attended.

West Pilton/West Granton Community Council

• Community payback team cut back bushes in West Pilton Park where motorbikes were being hidden.

Communications

• Regular daily tweets and 1,343 followers

• Over 230 Facebook likes.

Community activity

• Community survey planned to track community views about local action

• Tenants and Residents in Muirhouse #StrongerNorth campaign – Community Shop window display

• Weekly lunch time drop in sessions at Muirhouse Community Shop and Pilton Community Association flat – six week programme started 19 January

• Community feedback event 4 February.

Balancing Act

Council strategy aims to balance safe drinking with economic development

A report that highlights the need to reduce alcohol-related harm in Edinburgh while supporting economic development will be presented to councillors next week.

The report to the City of Edinburgh Council’s Health, Social Care and Housing Committee on January 27 2015 will state that in the capital:

• the cost of alcohol-related harm to the Council’s social care services is £29 million;
• the impact on economic productivity is an estimated £85m;
• alcohol-related deaths doubled between 1991 and 2004;
• 47% of adults drink more than recommended guidelines;
• 26% of serious assaults committed in public places are aggravated by alcohol;
• Edinburgh’s alcohol-related hospital admission rate is higher than the Scottish average.

The report highlights a proposal to develop a local strategy on alcohol that reduces related harmful impacts while, at the same time, supports the capital’s aspiration for continued economic development. If approved, it will be developed through the Edinburgh Partnership.

It will also highlight ongoing work to deal with these issues by officers from the public and third sectors within planning, economic development, social work, licensing, public health, the police and the fire service.

Committee members will be asked to note the harm caused across the city, note that effective interventions need to focus on reducing harm across the population, and support further talks between Council services, Police Scotland, NHS Lothian and the third sector to develop the strategy.

A presentation on alcohol-related harm within the city will be made to Committee members by the Edinburgh Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, the NHS and the police.

Councillor Ricky Henderson, Health, Social Care and Housing Convener, said: “The negative effects of the misuse of alcohol, on the city as well as on individuals is laid bare in this report. It is clear that these issues have a far-reaching effect on people of all ages and social backgrounds.

“The Council has a duty to promote citizens’ health and well-being, but at the same time, a desire to encourage business development and to support financial growth of the city as a whole.

“Talks are at the early stages between services within the Council about how we reduce alcohol-related harm and support the economic development of our city at the same time.”

#StrongerNorth campaign goes on display in Community Shop

Community Shop supports #StrongerNorth initiative

Information about the #StrongerNorth community safety initiative will go on display in Muirhouse Community Shop on Pennywell Road tomorrow and will be backed up by #StrongerNorth Monday sessions at the shop from next week.

Volunteers at Muirhouse Community Shop have created striking window displays to highlight a variety of different campaigns over recent months – Domestic Abuse, Environmental Services and the Independence Referendum have all been featured – and now #StrongerNorth will be in the spotlight.

Tenants organisation TRIM and Muirhouse Community shop is working closely with the #StrongerNorth team and will be welcoming key members of the team to the shop on Mondays from 19 January. Visitors can expect to meet local police officers, Total Craigroyston staff, the Stronger North Project Officer and members of North’s Community Safety team over the coming weeks.

A spokesperson for the community shop said: “We decide what we put in our shop window. We always feel it’s important that we keep it current and what a better way than to start with this? Stronger North was brought about after the residents told police and council we are fed up, things need to change and we want change now. A gold team was set up and meet often to discuss serious issues and a multiagency approach is being worked at. Things will not change overnight – Stronger North is still very new and with support from everyone we are confident it will make a big difference long term.”

For further information about #StrongerNorth call Fraser Sinclair on 529 5023, email stronger.north@edinburgh.gov.uk or visit the #StrongerNorth Facebook page.

Drylaw cars damaged in ‘senseless’ attacks

At least six cars had windows broken during a half-hour wrecking spree in Drylaw last night. Vehicles on Ferry Road and Easter Drylaw View and Drive were damaged in what one victim described as ‘senseless vandalism’.

The vandalism started at around 7.30pm last night. One Easter Drylaw resident said: “We were putting the kids to bed when a neighbour turned up at the door to tell us our car had been damaged – the back window had been put in”.

He went on: “There was nothing on show in our car, there was nothing to take so this wasn’t breaking in to steal, it was an act of senseless vandalism. While I was outside trying to make some temporary repairs there were car alarms going off all over the place, and when I walked up the road into Easter Drylaw Drive there were more people out inspecting the damage to their vehicles. All told I saw five or six but there could be more.

“It’s not just the cost of repairing the damage, although that’s bad enough – especially at this time of year. It’s the inconvenience it causes – we have a hospital appointment with one of the children on Monday but the child seat is totally covered in shards of broken glass so we are going to have to make other arrangements.

“Then there are the calls to the police and the insurance, the calls to arrange a day and time to get your car window replaced and all the stuff that goes along with that. It’s all totally unnecessary stress we could all do without – I can’t say what I’d like to do if they were to catch the people who do things like this.”

Similar attacks happened in Drylaw in October and there has been a recent spate of vehicle damage and thefts in Granton Mill.

Police investigations are ongoing – if you have any information telephone Police Scotland on 101 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Community meeting to discuss Granton Mill vandalism

West Pilton/West Granton Community Council has organised a special community meeting to discuss vandalism in the Granton Mill area.

The meeting will take place on

TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER from 6.30 – 8pm

in Craigroyston Community High School

Police, council officials and councillors have been invited to the event and a council Community Safety officer will report on what steps are being taken to tackle the problems.

The meeting also offers an opportunity to meet with other concerned residents and tenants who are working for the betterment of the area, and community council secretary Willie Black hopes Granton Mill’s residents will attend, get involved and make a difference.

“Why not come along to the meeting and have your say? With your help we can all make Granton Mill a place where everyone can be proud to live and work”, he said.

For further information contact Willie Black (Secretary) on 07515686421 or email w.black@blueyonder.co.uk

Community Council Public Meeting

#StrongerNorth Latest update

Just time to add one more pre-upgrade post … information from local police as part of the #StrongerNorth initiative:

6 November report: Disturbances in the Forth area

Following several minor incidents of disorder in the Forth area of Edinburgh last night, a number of fireworks were thrown at Drylaw Police Station.

As a response, we deployed extra resources to the Drylaw and West Pilton areas, including two specialist support units. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were also in attendance. After these resources were deployed, no further incidents occurred.

Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “Such behaviour will not be tolerated and further investigation is being carried out to identify those responsible.
We continue to place a strong focus on youth disorder and anti-social behaviour, and we in North Edinburgh are committed to tackling these issues in conjunction with our partners, through our Stronger North initiative, and we will take action whenever we receive a report of a crime.”

‪#‎StrongerNorth‬

#StrongerNorth: working together to make Pilton safer

#StrongerNorth initiaitive launched in WestPilton

Police Scotland, the city council and the local community have joined forces to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in North Edinburgh. Working together under the #StrongerNorth banner, they will work together to address community safety concerns across the area.

Last month, residents expressed anger at an apparent failure by local agencies to respond to concerns over antisocial behaviour in West Pilton. A public meeting followed the stabbing of a Chinese takeaway shop owner and residents demanded action to tackle gangs of ‘out of control’ youths. Last night’s meeting, again organised by West Pilton West Granton Community Council, was an opportunity for the authorities to respond.

Around twenty local residents attended the meeting in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, and heard that both police and the city council have poured extra resources into the area to address community concerns. The agencies are working closely together on a number of initiaitives to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the area and local residents were told that ‘West Pilton will remain a high priority for us as long as it needs to be’.

Local area Commander Sarah Buchanan acknowledged that communication with the local community was not as good as it should have been and told the meeting that this now being addressed. “We are very aware of your concerns and we are acting to address these”, she said. ” It is really important to share information about what we are doing at all sorts of different levels and we will continue to do this. #StrongerNorth will help to improve communications with the local community- we will endeavour to get out as much information about what we are doing as we can, as quickly as we can.”

North Neighbourhood Manager Peter Strong highlighted a number of ongoing initiatives and assured the meeting that community concerns are being taken seriously. “We recognise there is a crisis, and we are here to help. This is not just about the council, or the police. It’s about all of us working together to make this a good community to stay in.”

Concerns were raised again over punishments and ‘rewards’ – there is still a perception that the ‘bad’ kids get all the treats to encourage them to change their behaviour, while ‘good’ kids go without.

Senior Children & Families official Alistair Gaw outlined procedures for dealing with offending children, and said: “The Children’s Hearings have substantial powers, but we are dealing with very serious problems. A number of these young people have had hundreds of charges”.

Community councillor Willie Black called for the local community to rally round to to support – and lead – efforts to change the area. “It’s fight or flight”, he said. “We don’t want to see people leaving the area, we’ve got to fight to make our community a vibrant place that people want to come to. There are some truly great things happening all across this area and we’ve got to build on that.

“We’re here – it’s our patch and we need to get it sorted. We can build an area where everyone can feel welcome – an area everyone can be proud of.”

#StrongerNorth Leaflet Nov 14

West Pilton antisocial behaviour: meeting tomorrow night

WEST PILTON UPDATE

Meeting Tuesday 4 November

The Community Council meeting will discuss their normal agenda business from 6pm to 7:30 pm which is open to all. Anyone interested in joining our Community Council is most welcome as are observers.

At 7:30 pm in the main Function Hall of the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre there will be the report back from Area Commander Sarah Buchanan and Police Inspector David Happs on what has been happening, what is being done, and their plans for our future policing in our area.

You are all cordially invited to attend and voice your opinions and ask your questions. We would ask you to conduct these in a polite way just as you did at the last meeting.

Any persons attending from a Community Group can address the meeting – giving an update on their involvement and actions to create a better living environment.

Young people are especially welcome to come and give their views.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening.

West Pilton West Granton Community Council

Police action in West Pilton producing results

News from Edinburgh North Police

West Pilton Community Action

Police patrols continue in the West Pilton and surrounding areas. This week the following results have been achieved:

* 62 persons stopped and searched.
* 14 persons arrested or reported
* Male arrested on two warrants relating to domestic abuse
* 2 pedal cycles have been recovered, valued at £2000
* Male charged with breach of the peace after causing ASB in the area
* Male charged with supplying controlled drugs with £330 drugs recovered.
* Fireworks seized from 5 youths in West Pilton
* Male stopped and searched, found with heroin
* Male found in possession for NPS.
* Following pursuit of stolen car a male made off and was traced hiding nearby. Was then charged with Housebreaking offences after stolen property found in the car.
* Bail conditions enforced and a male charged for failing to adhere to conditions.
* Two drivers charged with driving un-roadworthy vehicles
* A female c/c with possession of cannabis.

Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan said: “This action highlights our continued commitment to the West Pilton community and we will be working further with our partner agencies to improve the quality of life for local residents, tackle the issues at the heart of the community and build a ‪#‎StrongerNorth‬”