Police plan to help cut drug deaths revealed

POLICE Scotland have revealed their latest plan to tackle Glasgow’s drug-deaths crisis.

Figures released by the National Records of Scotland in July 2019 showed NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had the highest average number of drug-related deaths in the last half-decade.

Meanwhile, Glasgow City Council had the second-highest average among local authority areas.

This week, two drug summits will be held in the city – with the Scottish Government hosting one tomorrow ahead of the UK Government event on Thursday.

The new strategy, combined with representatives from the council’s health and social care partnership, Positive Outcomes Project, and others, will back the Scottish Government’s approach of making it a public health issue, not a criminal one.

It is aimed at helping the force understand the needs of addicts.

The 12-month delivery plan includes raising awareness of referral options available to officers who come into contact with vulnerable people, with internal training being launched to improve understanding of people living with addiction.

Superintendent Gary I’Anson, who is leading the strategy, said: “The strategy is about improving our understanding of drug addiction and how we can play our part in the wider public health approach to tackling drug-related deaths.

“Police officers are often the first responders to incidents so our approach and understanding of drug deaths and drug crime can be crucial.

“We already feed into other multi-agency groups, such as alcohol and drug partnerships, but this strategy gives us an opportunity to directly influence local policing actions while combining the views of partners.”