Joint action fights crime

As you can read in the main section of Outlook, the new locally-based Neighbourhood Action Units (NAUs) have reduced crime rates around the city.

The seven new units – made up of 102 Council-funded Police officers – replaced the Safer Communities Units and Youth Action Teams earlier this year.

Now, six months on, the units have contributed to almost a 20 per cent drop in crimes such as vandalism and violence.

The NAU is a Council/Police model that is receiving significant attention across the country.

They tackle the issues that are identified by local people as causing them the most concern.

• A joint initiative between the Council and Pentlands Neighbourhood Action Unit was carried out to tackle the expected rise in antisocial behaviour with the onset of the school holidays.

Officers from the NAU worked with Community Safety Teams, Community Safety Concierges and Environmental Wardens. Joint patrols tackled dog fouling, littering,fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.

The CCTV mobile unit was used in the week prior to the break up of the schools and during the holiday peroid. Hot spots were targeted and fixed penalties issued for dog fouling and littering and a youth was arrested after brandishing a knife.

...and the South West crime successes?

Following a sharp increase in antisocial behaviour calls to the Saughton Sports Complex, NAU officers carried out a high-visibility initiative.

Alcohol was seized from youngsters and CCTV footage caught youths who were playing on the Astroturf pitches without making payment.

Two youths had socks with snooker balls in them and were charged with being in possession of offensive weapons.