Tag: Safer Neighbourhood Team

Police offer security advice to local businesses

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Police in North Edinburgh are offering free crime prevention surveys to businesses in the area.

Officers from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team at Drylaw Police Station will be delivering letters to businesses and offering security surveys to highlight additional measures that can be taken to maximise security, following a spate of night-time break-ins which have occurred since Christmas.

Five men have been arrested and charged in relation to separate alleged break-ins in the last three weeks and additional police resources have been patrolling the area during the night to check premises. Despite this, thieves have continued to target businesses and on occasions returned to several premises that have broken into previously.

In an effort to raise awareness, the police have also alerted other night-time private security staff and council workers to encourage them to immediately report any suspicious or unusual activity when they are working in the area.

Inspector Mark Rennie of Drylaw Police Station said: “It’s really important that businesses review the robustness of the security measures they have in place and ensure all equipment is working. We hope that by offering free surveys and highlighting appropriate measures to take, businesses will do everything they can to make themselves a hard target.

“We’ve informed a lot of local people of the issue but worryingly we haven’t always had calls from residents when noises have been heard emanating from premises during the night. I’d like to encourage people to phone us immediately so that we get officers there quickly.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

DrylawPolice

Police drop-in sessions at Millennium Centre

Officers from Drylaw’s Safer Neighbourhood Team are to hold regular Police drop-in sessions at Muirhouse Millennium Centre. 

PC Sharon Carr said: “The first two sessions are Wednesday 5th and 19th December from 11am – 2pm, and in the New Year the January dates are Wednesday 9th and 23rd, again from 11am – 2pm. It’s an opportunity for local people to pop in and chat about any policing issues or concerns they may have in an informal setting.”

For further information contact Drylaw Safer Neighbourhood Team on 0131 311 3131.

Shipshape initiative targets litter in Leith

A community project to improve the appearance of Leith’s streets got underway today. Shipshape Leith is a three-week initiative organised by the City of Edinburgh Council and  Lothian and Borders Police following consultation with local residents and  businesses. 

The initiative will see graffiti, stickers, posters and cable ties being removed from bins, lamp posts,  street signs, bus stops, post boxes and telephone boxes. Streets being targeted  are Leith Walk, Easter Road, Bonnington Road, Broughton Street, Duke Street,  Newhaven Place to Salamander Street, North Junction Street, Great Junction  Street and Constitution Street.

Local residents can play their part too – as part of the initiative a Volunteer Day has been organised for this Friday (16 November) in Constitution  Street which will involve residents and representatives from the business  community joining council staff and police in a clean up.

Councillor Lesley Hinds,  Environment Convener, said: “The community spirit on display in Leith shows what  can be achieved when everyone comes together with a common goal. At the end of  the day the winners from this initiative are going to be those people who live  and work in the area. No one likes seeing their  streets looking untidy so I am sure the work planned over the coming weeks will  have a positive impact. It is something everyone can take immense satisfaction  and pride from. One of our key partnership  commitments of the Capital Coalition is to maintain and improve the quality of life in Edinburgh and Shipshape  Leith is a fine example of this in action.”

Sergeant  Gordon Duff, from Lothian and  Borders Police, said: “This  initiative is a fantastic example of just some of the joint working that is  being undertaken around the Kirkgate and Great Junction Street areas of  Leith. Lothian and Borders  Police is committed to identifying young people who are carrying out antisocial  behaviour in the area, working with partners to address their behaviour and use  solutions such as diversionary activities to ensure a long-term and sustainable  change.”

Anyone wanting to take part  in the Shipshape Leith Volunteer Day in Constitution Street should meet at the  Kirkgate Victoria Monument at 9.30am on Friday 16 November.

People taking part in the  three-week initiative include Council staff from various departments,  the Leith Police Safer Neighbourhood Team and Community Payback  offenders.

Call in and meet your community cops

Community police officers will be holding a drop-in session at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on Thursday (5 July) from 7 – 8pm.

PC Sarah Hall of Drylaw’s Safer Neighbourhood Team explained: “Myself and Constable Tony Lawrence are holding regular Police Drop-In sessions at the new Royston/Wardieburn Community Centre. We hope this will be a chance for residents to informally meet their local community Police Officers and raise any questions or concerns they may have.”

Dates set after next Thursday are Thursday 2 August, Thursday 30 August, Thursday 27 September, Thursday 25 October and Thursday 22 November. All  sessions are from 7 – 8pm.

 

Community Safety in Forth

Community Safety and young people were the themes of Wednesday’s Forth Neighbourhood Partnership meeting held in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre. Local youth agencies and police officers from the area’s Safer Neighbourhood Team ensured a lively and informative discussion at the teatime event.

The event opened with an excerpt from a drama currently being devised by Forth Youth Theatre. ‘Kieran’s Story’ tells a young local man’s true story and it promises to be a ‘must see’ when it’s performed at North Edinburgh Arts next month.

Pilton Youth & Children Project’s Daniel Rutherford gave a brief presentation on the one-to-one service provided through the local project, and this was followed by a short presentation by young people from Muirhouse Youth Development Group who described – despite a serious collective bout of the giggles – the wide variety of activities they are involved in!

A session of ‘breakout’ workshops in small groups was then scheduled, but Forth Neighbourhood Partnership convener Councillor Steve Cardownie decided instead to invite officers from the local Safer Neighbourhood Team to take questions and comments from the floor. This more informal forum proved to be very successful, with questions and contributions on a wide range of issues both from young people and from members of the wider community.

Neighbourhood Partnership member George Gordon chairs Forth’s Clean, Green and Safe action group. Summing up the event, he said: “The young people’s presentations were first class and we have had a very successful debate. Some specific issues have been flagged up – lighting at the Millennium Park, for example – and we have taken note of these. There have been changes to community policing and it takes a while for these changes to bed in and new faces to get known, but police officers continue to play a very active role in our communities.  Communications need to be improved, but that’s an issue not just for the police but also for Neighbourhood Partnership and the action groups”.

There was only one item of formal business decided by the meeting. Neighbourhood Partnerships allocate Neighbourhood Environmental Project funding, but registered tenants groups are unable to submit applications or propose NEP projects directly. Councillor Cammy Day’s motion to amend the criteria to open this process up to registered tenants organisations was agreed without dissent.

For further information on Community Safety in Forth, telephone 529 7050.