On the hunt for fake officers
At around 7pm on Sunday, October 30, we received the report of two males impersonating police officers within the East Kilbride area.
The males were dressed in black clothing and wearing a black body armour similar to those worn by Police Scotland officers.
The males had police-style radios and were driving a grey-coloured Volkswagen Passat with blue flashing lights within the grill area.
Impersonation of a police officer is a very serious offence and I want to reassure residents of East Kilbride and Strathaven that Lanarkshire police has a dedicated group of officers working to identify these males.
Police Scotland officers, uniformed or plain clothes, will always be in possession of their Police Scotland warrant cards which have their photograph clearly printed on. If you are stopped by police officers and you have any concerns please ask to see their warrant card and ask for their shoulder number, full name and what office they work from.
Please know you can always contact 101 and staff will confirm which officers have stopped to speak with you.
Police officers will have no issue with you checking their identity so don’t be afraid to carry out these actions.
Similarly, if you are requested to stop your motor vehicle by officers in an unmarked police car and you have concerns that they may not be legitimate, please report this to us immediately and make your way to a well-lit busy area before stopping or, alternatively, drive directly to your nearest police station.
Also this week, I want to remind parents and carers of our young people that it’s so important to keep your child safe now our evenings are darker. Please ensure that your child is wearing reflective clothing when travelling to and from school to ensure they can be seen by drivers and even consider attaching reflective items to their school bags.
Also a reminder for road users to switch their vehicle lights on as soon as it starts to get dark and to ensure their headlights and full beams are in working order.
Take care when driving through residential areas and pay particular attention when driving near schools.
In my article last week, I spoke about Bonfire Night and reminded residents to take in their wheelie bins and have them locked securely in your garden or in a bin shed.
Bonfire night is a time to enjoy with your families.
If you are attending an organised event, please leave plenty of time to get there and if attending with small children, please keep them close at all times as in a large crowded dark place