Survey reveals thugs and drunks are blight on our communities
Fed- up families throughout Renfrews h i re have told police chiefs that public disorder, drug dealing and violent crime are blighting their communities.
New Police Scotland statistics revealed the concerns of almost 1,000 residents in ‘K division’ as part of a nine-month survey.
While national concerns focused on terrorism, organised crime and child sex abuse, local families believe tackling antisocial behaviour, drugs, violence, housebreakings and rowdy drunks are the priorities in Paisley and surrounding towns and villages.
Child abuse, street robberies, vandalism, speeding and domestic abuse completed the top 10 concerns for families in Renfrewshire.
Less than five per cent of people in the county believed wildlife crime, cybercrime, hate crime and protecting adults from risk of harm should be priorities for cops.
Families in Paisley North West, Erskine and Inchinnan and Renfew North were the most invested in the #YourViewCounts survey with scores of respondents from each area taking part.
However, more than a third of them took the opportunity to say they felt that crime had “increased a little or a lot” while just over a 10th said they felt crime rates had fallen.
The Paisley Daily Express has covered several stories of drugs raids, public disorder and home raids across Renfrewshire.
In January, it was reported that a boozedup mum left an innocent teenage girl in hospital after storming into the wrong house in the middle of the night and battering her.
Violent Stacey Bunyan, 30, pulled a clump of hair out of young Emily Campbell’s head before biting her while she defended her stunned mum in their Paisley flat.
And in March, cops uncovered a £2 million haul of killer pills stashed in a warehouse.
Drugs teams found a mountain of lethal fake Valium hidden in an industrial block in Back Sneddon Street, Paisley.
The pills, dubbed the ‘blue plague’, are sold on the street for £1 or online for just 10p.
Just last week, home raiders stole more than £20,000 worth of precious family jewels from a Paisley home.
The crooks ransacked the house in Ellon Way, making off with irreplaceable wedding jewellery and £7,000 in cash.
Yesterday, Chief Inspector Simon Wright, who is based in Johnstone, revealed that police chiefs in Renfrewshire had taken the feedback on board and made “major” changes.
He said: “The survey provides members of the Renfrewshire public with a valuable opportunity to contribute views and opinions about local policing, as well as being able to influence the setting of local and national policing priorities.
“This year, members have informed us that antisocial behaviour, drug misuse, violent crime, housebreaking and rowdy behaviour are their key local priorities.
“Having listened to the views of the public and our own staff, we have recently changed our operating model.
“This major change has resulted in increased numbers of uniformed police officers being deployed onto front line unformed policing duties, dealing with priority incidents.
“Communities will start to notice these changes as they see and engage with the same officers from day to day.”
He added: “There is, however, clearly work we have to improve upon when it comes to advertising both our new community policing teams and indeed how to contact them.
“This information is currently being updated onto the Police Scotland website and will be available shortly.
“However, I would encourage members of the public to simply stop any one of my