Ch Ins Stuart Fletcher

Borders is like any other part of the country and is not immune to the threat of organised crime and it’s important that we remain alive to these threats and respond accordingly whenever we become aware of such offences taking place.

While our Proactive Unit detectives regularly conduct investigative work to identify organised crime taking place within the Borders, our communities have a vital role to play in helping tackle organised crime by coming forward and providing us with information relating to criminal activity they believe is taking place in their area.

Utilising this information, we can dedicate appropriate resources to carry out inquiries, identify offenders and then conduct proactive enforcement activity to bring these individuals to justice and seize illicit items, such as drugs and proceeds of crime.

I want to make it clear that whenever we receive intelligence from the public it will be thoroughly assessed, progressed, and acted upon.

If you would like to report any ongoing criminal activity in your area, please contact us on 101 or make an anonymous report to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Of course, it is not just through the targeting of crimbehaviour inals that your local policing teams look to make a positive contribution within our communities.

We often work with a range of partners to support events and campaigns aimed at improving the quality of life for the public in the Borders and on Sunday, March 24, myself and a few other local officers took part in a beach clean-up at Eyemouth.

This was a genuinely worthwhile undertaking to enhance the beauty of the Eyemouth shoreline and it was lovely to chat with many of the other volunteers who gave up their time in support of the cleanup.

Thanks to everyone who came along.

I’d like to finish this week’s column in the same manner as my last one, by once again encouraging our communities to help shape policing within the Scottish Borders.

The feedback you provide to us his invaluable in determining areas we need to prioritise resources in and crime types to focus upon.

If you would like to have your say on how we police your area then please participate in our Your Police Survey, which is available on the Police Scotland website at www.scotland.police.uk