Action pledge after city traders protest
Cops set up mobile base to clean up Friars Street
A mobile police station has been set up in Friars Street as part of an operation aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour in Stirling.
Operation Steadfast was officially launched yesterday (Thursday) and will run for four days each week until the end of July.
As part of the campaign officers will join representatives from Stirling Council to patrol areas including Friars Street, Baker Street, Back Walk and Murray Place.
They will also work with youth services, social work and the fire service to highlight the consequences of bad behaviour.
The aim is to deal with issues such as under-age drinking, theft and violence, in addition to other antisocial behaviour problems.
The Observer reported last week that traders and residents on Friars Street put their name to a petition which aims to rid the area of these problems.
Those living and working on the street say they are sick of the verbal abuse, shoplifting, heavy drinking, drug taking and dealing – and even urinating and defecating – they have to put up with.
Chief Inspector Gill Boulton, Stirling area commander, said they will be working hard to make the city a safer and more trouble-free area for visitors and residents.
She said: “With the summer holidays now almost here, we have been working closely with our partners to ensure we are all doing our utmost to keep young people safe and to prevent crime and disorder impacting upon the city centre.
“We have identified a number of priorities for Operation Steadfast with the overall intention of protecting young and vulnerable people from harm , removing access to alcohol by those under 18 and reducing anti- social behaviour and criminality.
“This campaign is the culmination of careful planning between ourselves, Stirling Council and other key partners and I am grateful to all agencies for committing so much time and resource to Operation Steadfast.
“By working together we can keep Stirling a safe and prosperous place to live, work and visit and ensure that our communities who enjoy all that Stirling city centre has to offer can do so safely.”
As part of the campaign police officers will join teams from the licensing authority to visit licensed premises to ensure alcohol does not fall into the hands of anyone under 18.
The mobile police station will be in operation between 2pm and 2am on each day the operation is running – from Thursdays to Sundays – and members of the public can report issues or pick up advice on keeping themselves safe.
Councillor Maureen Bennison, convenor of Stirling Council’s public safety committee, said: “Stirling city centre is the heart of the council area’s trading body and we want to do all we can to protect it.
“There are issues over safety in this area of the city which impact on the public and our businesses and these issues need to be addressed.
“Operation Steadfast is a positive step by both the council and Police Scotland in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour head on.”
Tory councillor for Stirling North Ross Oxburgh was less enthusiastic. He said: “I welcome any initiatives to combat the persistent problems in these areas but it is going to take a bit more than a one-off project to sort this out.
“Front-line officers want more powers so they can create localised areas, such as in Friars Street, where they can disperse people who are often taking part in low-level anti-social behaviour.
“At the moment there is little they can do.
“We need to listen to our officers very carefully when they tell us things like this. They know what the problems are.”
It is going to take more than a one-off project to sort this out