£200k investment puts sharp focus on CCTV
A significant CCTV investment in Craigneuk, Wishaw has been welcomed as a boost for the community.
The upgrade replaced analogue cameras with new High Definition IP cameras that provide a much clearer image and perform well both during the hours of daylight and darkness.
The £200,000 scheme, which will cover a total of six sites across North Lanarkshire, will see brand new devices in strategic spots, which had been identified by police as important areas to monitor.
Craigneuk councillor Kenneth Duffy welcomed the investment in the CCTV network across the area.
He said: “This is great news for the area, including the additional Police resource. It is essential that everyone feels safe.
“I will continue to meet with the police and partner agencies to focus on improving the safety in Craigneuk.”
Police and other agencies have responded to the public’s growing concern over a number of worrying incidents in the area over the past six months.
In August, local officers from Wishaw community policing along with partner agencies, including Scottish Fire and Rescue, North
Lanarkshire Council’s housing and environmental health teams carried out a day of action providing reassurance to tenants and residents that the council and partners have a zero tolerance approach towards those engaging in antisocial behaviour.
Inspector Alan Mulholland said: “We have been working hard over the last few months to provide reassurance to the community in Craigneuk by carrying out intelligence led policing to deal with issues such as disorder, weapon carrying and problematic households.
“As a result of a notable increase in people reporting matters direct to the police and through Crimestoppers, we have been able to make an impact on those people making the lives of others intolerable.
“Through partnership working with our colleagues at North Lanarkshire Council and by providing direct intervention on evicting the people not adhering to their tenancy agreements, this has had a really positive impact on community confidence.
“The HD CCTV cameras are a welcome boost to the safety of local people and provide us with excellent footage for review if looking to identify offenders.
“We have a great relationship with the CCTV management and are working on ways of complimenting the new system to address issues such as fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.
“Through intelligence led operations, our CID officers along with plain clothes and community officers have been relentlessly targeting drug dealers and individuals taking advantage of vulnerable people.
“In the last two months, as part of our interventions, officers have carried out a range of activities to disrupt this offending.
“Officers have seized quantities of class A and B drugs and made cash seizures under The Proceeds of Crime Act after searching 11 separate properties in the area.
“Most notably, a recovery of controlled drugs, believed to be heroin with a potential street value of £7000 from an address in Flaxmill Avenue.
“I want t o reassure t he community that we will continue our policing interventions in the area and I would ask anyone who wants to report anything to us, to do so direct via 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can provide information in confidence and anonymously.”