Officers get on their bikes to engage with the public
POLICE in Mid Argyll are making a concerted effort to improve community engagement, according to a local inspector. The recent introduction of a police officer on a push bike is evidence of this commitment, said Inspector Julie McLeish.
And there are plans to get more officers on their bikes.
Addressing a recent meeting of the Mid Argyll Partnership, Inspector McLeish commented: ‘We have had a very positive response to people see- ing the officer around Lochgilphead on his bike. It is a great community link and we are now looking to expand it, with more officers to be trained.’
Inspector McLeish also raised the possibility of open police ‘surgeries’ at Lochgilphead police office, adding that community officers often ‘struggle to get round’ community council meetings because of competing priorities.
This raised alarm bells among some partners around the table and Jim Malcolm of Dunadd Community Council remarked: ‘I think the role of community councils would be diminished if the police weren’t there.
‘It would be disappointing if these surgeries were to replace attendance at these meetings.’
Inspector McLeish replied: ‘The surgery idea is intended as another way to engage positively with the public and would supplement rather than replace officer attendance at community council meetings.’
She added: ‘What I don’t want to hear is that people are not seeing community officers.’
Partnership chairman Andy Buntin rounded matters off when he added: ‘The notion of police surgeries is certainly worth a trial and we’ll see how it goes.’