Good neighbours
A new partnership between the Council and the Police has been making a major contribution to Edinburgh’s falling crime rate.
In the last six months, the city’s new Neighbourhood Action Units have contributed to a 20 per cent drop in “group 1-5” crimes, which include crimes of violence, dishonesty and vandalism.
The Neighbourhood Action Units were established in April in seven neighbourhood areas in the city. The teams comprise 102
Council-funded Police officers, who work closely with the Council’s community safety officers and environmental wardens.
The new approach has allowed the teams to tackle local issues in a much more targeted manner, while fostering positive relationships with communities.
And to ensure that officers are available when demand is highest, Lothian and Borders Police has also restructured their shift arrangements, putting more police on the beat on Friday and Saturday nights.
Susan Carson, a team leader for community safety based at the West Neighbourhood office, has been working in a variety of Council roles for more than 20 years. She is convinced that the new teams are getting real results.
“Many of our staff are now going out on joint patrols with the Police,” she said.
“The new units have been particularly successful in dealing with local issues such as antisocial behaviour and vandalism. Our teams can act as the eyes and ears of the community, often intervening before a problem escalates.”
As well as introducing joint patrols, school workshops and roadshows, the teams have also been working directly with young people who have been involved in antisocial behaviour in the past.
Sergeant Paul Mathews, who works at the West neighbourhood office, explained: “We’ve been running a number of restorative justice projects which look to challenge attitudes and get young people to recognise that their actions have consequences.
“We’ve been asking people to sign up to acceptable behaviour contracts, while also running youth engagement projects at schools with youth workers and Council staff.”
Paul cites the recent example of three young people who were arrested and charged, following several vandalism incidents in Corstorphine.
He said: “As first-time offenders, the youths involved were suitable for a ‘restorative justice warning.”
As part of this process, some of the victims provided impact statements, outlining how the experience affected them personally, mentally, physically and financially.
“This had a profound impact on the youths, who also paid back damages to two elderly victims from their own pocket money.”
Paul and Susan both agree that the success of the Neighbourhood Action Units is partly down to good joined-up working. “When you’re working directly with each other like this, it’s much easier to tap into services and make the right contacts,” she said.
Paul agreed: “Previously, many of us worked in isolation. Now we are able to discuss issues and react a lot quicker.”