POP-UP POLICE FIGHT CRIME
Clamping down on speeding
Crieff ’s latest ‘ law enforcers’ are doing a good job around the Strath capital, according to a community chief.
Pop- up police officers appeared in Crieff at the end of last year after the community council successfully sourced funding from the town’s common good fund.
Two fibreglass cut- out models were purchased.
Dubbed ‘ Donald’ and ‘ Kirsty’ after their real- life counterparts, the portable structures have been appearing at various locations in a bid to encourage motorists to keep within the speed limits.
Members of the community council frequently move the models so that they are always popping up at different locations.
And Crieff Community Council chair Harry Thomason told the Herald he felt they have been doing a good job at slowing down vehicles.
He said: “Our pop-up police officers, Donald and Kirsty, seem to be working well.
“So much so that residents are now requesting them to be located at particular hot spots.
“I had a request from a resident for them to be positioned in Dollerie Terrace recently.
“I put them down there last Monday and the lady and her son kept an eye on the effect they had.
“They were pleased to tell me that traffic has been slowing down as a result.
“This has been a very successful initiative for Crieff.
“They are helping to make our roads safer.
“You can see vehicles slowing down as they approach so either the drivers are thinking they are real police or Donald and Kirsty are just reminding them that they should be aware of their speed.”
Meanwhile, a new crossing point at Crown Place was discussed at Monday’s community council meeting.
Mr Thomason explained: “Michael Findlay from Perth and Kinross Council came along and explained how the puffin crossing would work and the majority of those present were in favour of it. Michael also told us that the majority of residents in that area were in favour of the crossing.
“Once the gas works are finished hopefully they will begin putting the crossing in place.
“Instead of the zig- zag lines that usually go beside a crossing, it will be the type where the pavement juts out a bit to ensure parking spaces for residents are not all lost.
“They might lose two parking spaces but that is the best that can be done, and it is all for the safety of pedestrians – in particular the school children who cross there.”