ON THE BEAT
Public surveys consistently identify violence as one of their top national priorities and accordingly it features prominently in prevention activity undertaking within our diverse communities in Scotland.
Locally this is no different, we deal with violent crimes on a daily basis.
Our statistics revealed that there were 3962 serious violent crimes recorded across the service in 2015/16, of which 481 (12.1 per cent) were the result of ‘one punch’.
Through the ‘One Punch’ campaign, we aim to raise awareness of the consequences that one punch can have on two lives – the victim and the attacker. We hope to encourage people to think about the consequences of their actions and the affect alcohol can have on their behaviour.
The campaign will run for four weeks and you may notice posters in public locations across the county, including in pubs/clubs, sports centres etc and advertised on beer mats.
Advertising will also be displayed on ATM machines near off-licenses. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Williams, who launched the campaign, said: “Drinking too much can make you vulnerable and it increases your risk of becoming a victim of crime or getting into trouble.
“One punch can kill and could result in a jail sentence. I want people to enjoy their nights out but at the same time to drink responsibly and consider how much alcohol they are consuming and the effect it has on their decision making and