Crackdown on youth disorder is starting to pay off
The last couple of months have been a busy time for policing across the city of Edinburgh and the teams have been working hard tackling a number of issues.
During December into January we had increased complaints of youths disorder around the east end of Princes Street, so we instigated a policing operation with colleagues from British Transport Police to engage with the youths and discourage underage drinking and antisocial behaviour.
We established that groups of youths were travelling from outside the city of Edinburgh to congregate and while the vast majority were there to socialise and enjoy themselves responsibly a very small minority were engaging in disorder.
By working with colleagues in neighbouring areas, schools, youth organisations and parents, officers were able to effectively divert the youths away from their problematic behaviours. I am pleased to say the issue has been significantly reduced but it will remain a priority.
We also work closely with the Community Alcohol Partnership in local schools to reduce alcohol related disorder and encourage responsible drinking and these partnerships are key to supporting the communities of Edinburgh.
Another focus is targeting acquisitive crime and particularly housebreakings.
We review every housebreaking in Edinburgh on a daily basis. In the last year we have carried out 370 Crime Prevention Surveys, which are detailed reviews of building security that offer bespoke advice on how best to secure a property.
We work closely with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and they provide schemes that allow residents to share information. They have a Neighbourhood Alert scheme, which allows you to sign up for alerts relating to the area where you live.
Whether it is through Neighbourhood Watch or speaking to your neighbours and reporting suspicious activity, you can make a difference and help up us to prevent crime in your area.
You can find more information on home security on our website scotland.police.uk/ advice-and-information/ and Neighbourhood Watch: neighbourhood watch scotland. co.uk
As the weather improves more people will want to enjoy cycling and I am pleased to report that the city has seen a significant reduction of collisions involving cyclists.
A lot of this is down to awareness campaigns aimed at drivers highlighting the vulnerabilities of cyclists on the roads.
We will also be running bike marking events in the coming months to provide security advice and security marking so please keep an eye on our local X account @PSOSSEEdinburgh.