600 police go back on the beat
To watch our special film from on the beat with Central Scotland police's civilian officers click here
An extra 600 dedicated community police officers will be recruited and deployed across the west of Scotland within a year, reversing decades of decline in the role and in the numbers of traditional beat cops.
In a move described as the most positive development in UK policing for 25 years, Strathclyde Police will have a unit of 1200 community officers taking on mainstream duties from dealing with low-level vandalism to counter-terrorism.
Every officer joining the force from this year on will be expected to spend a period on community duties, freeing up resources for "response policing".
If taken as a standalone unit, it would be the fourth-biggest force in Scotland, behind Strathclyde, Lothian and Borders and Grampian, but twice as big as Central Scotland and three times the size of Dumfries and Galloway.
Details of the scheme, expected to cost more than £20m, were unveiled at yesterday's Strathclyde Joint Police Board meeting and will be presented to the Scottish Government on June 24.
The Herald understands the government sees the model as a potential template for the rest of Scotland.
Details of Strathclyde's Community Policing Model comes as the force in Central Scotland showcases the role and effectiveness of its civilian officers who are tasked with investigating low-level crimes.
A pilot project using civilian investigators was launched in Falkirk. Some 700 incidents, including housebreaking, car theft and vandalism, have been investigated by civilians since April 1. Staff say the pilot has saved 2000 hours of police time since it was introduced.
The roll out of community officers in Strathclyde is expected to begin in the coming months, with every area witnessing a visible rise in officers.
The officers will only be removed from their designated areas in exceptional circumstances, and with the approval of chief superintendents.
Names, photographs and even e-mail addresses of the officers will be circulated within communities, the boundaries of which will be council wards, with the average time in each neighbourhood expected to be around three years and each unit having a seven-day presence.
Numbers of officers per area will depend on various factors, including crime statistics, deprivation levels and population density.
The additional personnel will be funded by the Scottish government, which has committed 465 of its 1000 pledged new officers to Strathclyde, while all the councils within the Police Board have contributed funding for 200.
Additional funding has been secured through streamlining bureaucracy, including a reduction in the number of superintendents, 11 having retired or in the process of leaving within the past 13 months.
Some activities such as school visits will be scaled down, although Strathclyde is planning to extend its campus cops scheme, while diversionary activities for young people will now simply be facilitated and not organised by the police.
Chief Constable Stephen House has made an increase in frontline officers and reduction in bureaucracy a key commitment since joining the force last September from the Met.
Mr House said: "Community policing will be the hard edge of policing, concentrating efforts on enforcement. They will be responsible for answering calls within their area and along with other agencies coming up with longer-term solutions to prevent future calls."
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Posted by: Supershug, Eaglesham on 3:37am Fri 13 Jun 08
On the face of it, this has to be very good news indeed.
Police interaction with the community and visibility are two issues that are clearly key to instilling public confidence and aiding crime prevention.
Anything that facilitates redeploying trained police officers to the sharp end of police work - which most officers would welcome - can only benefit communities.
Perhaps this thinking will one day lead to the full separation of the roles of trained street officers and criminal investigators as has been mooted fairly recently.
Such moves would likely be greeted from within the service with the same enthusiasm that doctors have displayed towards hospital managers.
However, it seems clear that all efforts should be made to maximise the hours which highly-trained uniformed officers spend dealing with the public and limit the time spent in roles that more readily accommodate those with very different skill sets.
Aside from the perceived "glamorous" end of policing that is CID, there is, for example, no good reason why a uniform should not be worn by a PR/comms civilian officer on a visit to a school.
It seems to me that, more and more, there is a perception that law-abiding citizens are being let down by our policing procedures (though not necessarily police officers).
Without confidence in the ability of the state to offer effective policing, vast swathes of society harbour anxieties about the fear of personal attacks or thefts.
Promoting the sense of safety on the streets and within homes should be the first aim of police forces and any efforts to improve in these areas should be welcomed and applauded.
On the face of it, this has to be very good news indeed.
Police interaction with the community and visibility are two issues that are clearly key to instilling public confidence and aiding crime prevention.
Anything that facilitates redeploying trained police officers to the sharp end of police work - which most officers would welcome - can only benefit communities.
Perhaps this thinking will one day lead to the full separation of the roles of trained street officers and criminal investigators as has been mooted fairly recently.
Such moves would likely be greeted from within the service with the same enthusiasm that doctors have displayed towards hospital managers.
However, it seems clear that all efforts should be made to maximise the hours which highly-trained uniformed officers spend dealing with the public and limit the time spent in roles that more readily accommodate those with very different skill sets.
Aside from the perceived "glamorous" end of policing that is CID, there is, for example, no good reason why a uniform should not be worn by a PR/comms civilian officer on a visit to a school.
It seems to me that, more and more, there is a perception that law-abiding citizens are being let down by our policing procedures (though not necessarily police officers).
Without confidence in the ability of the state to offer effective policing, vast swathes of society harbour anxieties about the fear of personal attacks or thefts.
Promoting the sense of safety on the streets and within homes should be the first aim of police forces and any efforts to improve in these areas should be welcomed and applauded.
Posted by: Donald Anderson, glasgow on 4:56am Fri 13 Jun 08
It certainly won't worry the dug takers, who are allowed to work openly. Will the polis now be wearing dark glasses, accompanied by white sticks?
It certainly won't worry the dug takers, who are allowed to work openly. Will the polis now be wearing dark glasses, accompanied by white sticks?
Posted by: Guga, Rockall on 6:16am Fri 13 Jun 08
About time they managed to get the police out of their nice warm patrol cars, and out of their canteens, and back onto the streets.
About time they managed to get the police out of their nice warm patrol cars, and out of their canteens, and back onto the streets.
Posted by: BigScottie, Glasgow on 6:42am Fri 13 Jun 08
Donald post #2
the dug takers
I wasn't aware of this problem, but I don't like dugs, so I say let them continue.
Donald post #2
the dug takers
I wasn't aware of this problem, but I don't like dugs, so I say let them continue.
Posted by: Jimmythejinx, Railway Cuttings on 7:51am Fri 13 Jun 08
[quote][bold]Donald Anderson[/bold] wrote:
It certainly won't worry the dug takers, who are allowed to work openly. Will the polis now be wearing dark glasses, accompanied by white sticks?[/quote] The polis will be wearing dark glasses accompanied by white sticks, but someone will have taken their dugs.
Donald Anderson wrote:
It certainly won't worry the dug takers, who are allowed to work openly. Will the polis now be wearing dark glasses, accompanied by white sticks?
The polis will be wearing dark glasses accompanied by white sticks, but someone will have taken their dugs.
Posted by: iang on 8:40am Fri 13 Jun 08
[quote][bold]Guga[/bold] wrote:
About time they managed to get the police out of their nice warm patrol cars, and out of their canteens, and back onto the streets.
[/quote] Something the officers themselves have wanted for years! Or is that too much for you to accept?
Guga wrote:
About time they managed to get the police out of their nice warm patrol cars, and out of their canteens, and back onto the streets.
Something the officers themselves have wanted for years! Or is that too much for you to accept?
Posted by: sid the sceptic, renfrewshire on 9:26am Fri 13 Jun 08
I am amazed that the herald is actually carrying a Scottish good news story and allowing comments is this a turn for the better or a wee mistake?
I am amazed that the herald is actually carrying a Scottish good news story and allowing comments is this a turn for the better or a wee mistake?
Posted by: Fishcheese, Cambuslang on 9:33am Fri 13 Jun 08
This sounds excellent. It even sounds like it might be the end of 'crime detection' as the yardstick, and a move back to crime prevention. About time. I wonder if special training will also be given to add a little enthusiasm and the ability to actually listen to people?
This sounds excellent. It even sounds like it might be the end of 'crime detection' as the yardstick, and a move back to crime prevention. About time. I wonder if special training will also be given to add a little enthusiasm and the ability to actually listen to people?
Posted by: Lobeydosser, Woodlands Road on 10:19am Fri 13 Jun 08
This is good news, you cannot replace a good 'beat' cop with those in cars and call centres. Maybe they might re-open the smaller satellite police stations.
Any beat cop will tell you that the amount of preventative work they can do is imessurable. Good beat cops diffuse situations instead of making them worse; they know the good guys and bad ones, keepng an eye out for domestics, drug dealers, etc.
And the good beat cops are not called Constable by the locals, they are caller 'Mr' because of the relationships they make and the respect they build.
But do not get me on to Aberdeen CID and male strippers!
This is good news, you cannot replace a good 'beat' cop with those in cars and call centres. Maybe they might re-open the smaller satellite police stations.
Any beat cop will tell you that the amount of preventative work they can do is imessurable. Good beat cops diffuse situations instead of making them worse; they know the good guys and bad ones, keepng an eye out for domestics, drug dealers, etc.
And the good beat cops are not called Constable by the locals, they are caller 'Mr' because of the relationships they make and the respect they build.
But do not get me on to Aberdeen CID and male strippers!
Posted by: Los Angeles, Edinburgh on 10:20am Fri 13 Jun 08
The police in my area, mostly tenements plus a couple of modern blocks, have taken to the street beat, and, except for apprehending the late night mystery graffiti expert, you can feel anxieties and confrontations melting away amongst residents. Just seeing them walking around and talking to folk has made a huge difference.
The police in my area, mostly tenements plus a couple of modern blocks, have taken to the street beat, and, except for apprehending the late night mystery graffiti expert, you can feel anxieties and confrontations melting away amongst residents. Just seeing them walking around and talking to folk has made a huge difference.
Posted by: awh, Dumfries on 10:35am Fri 13 Jun 08
I'm a little confused by this article having civilians investigate crimes saves police time, but does it solve crimes? Does giving police men and women exercise wandering the streets stop crime or just create fitter policemen and women? I've nothing against this but wouldn't it be nice to see some evidence that all of this wandering around actually works
I'm a little confused by this article having civilians investigate crimes saves police time, but does it solve crimes? Does giving police men and women exercise wandering the streets stop crime or just create fitter policemen and women? I've nothing against this but wouldn't it be nice to see some evidence that all of this wandering around actually works
Posted by: awh, Dumfries on 10:46am Fri 13 Jun 08
I'm a little confused by this article having civilians investigate crimes saves police time, but does it solve crimes? Does giving police men and women exercise wandering the streets stop crime or just create fitter policemen and women? I've nothing against this but wouldn't it be nice to see some evidence that all of this wandering around actually works
I'm a little confused by this article having civilians investigate crimes saves police time, but does it solve crimes? Does giving police men and women exercise wandering the streets stop crime or just create fitter policemen and women? I've nothing against this but wouldn't it be nice to see some evidence that all of this wandering around actually works
Posted by: Jack Gough, Lanarkshire on 11:09am Fri 13 Jun 08
This is yet another toothless tiger. According to cops I know, the cops being used for the new improved community policing will be taken largely from the current front-line, the core response cops.
This will mean that if you live in an average sized town in Strathclyde, like Cumbernauld or Airdrie or Clydebank or Dumbarton, you will probably only have 4 cops at most covering your area during a night shift as the community policing wards will only work 'when they are busiest' ie during daytime and evening hours, and maybe until 3 or 4 am at weekends.
If those 2 cops are split up into 2 mobile units, that means if there are 2 incidents happening at once, nobody else gets the police..... or if you do have the police dealing with your emergency they may have to leave it to go to something more serious.
Any serious disorder or more than 2 people being arrested at once will cause massive problems.
There are a lot of wider implications regarding both the safety of the public and the police themselves that are going to come back and bite someone on the rear end once this is implimented. Mark my words.
For this to work at all, LobeyDosser has hit the nail on the head. They will have to open smaller satellite stations to keep the cops in the areas where they work, otherwise they will be travelling miles out of their area constantly back to the central office to eat or do paperwork and it will be pointless.
This is yet another toothless tiger. According to cops I know, the cops being used for the new improved community policing will be taken largely from the current front-line, the core response cops.
This will mean that if you live in an average sized town in Strathclyde, like Cumbernauld or Airdrie or Clydebank or Dumbarton, you will probably only have 4 cops at most covering your area during a night shift as the community policing wards will only work 'when they are busiest' ie during daytime and evening hours, and maybe until 3 or 4 am at weekends.
If those 2 cops are split up into 2 mobile units, that means if there are 2 incidents happening at once, nobody else gets the police..... or if you do have the police dealing with your emergency they may have to leave it to go to something more serious.
Any serious disorder or more than 2 people being arrested at once will cause massive problems.
There are a lot of wider implications regarding both the safety of the public and the police themselves that are going to come back and bite someone on the rear end once this is implimented. Mark my words.
For this to work at all, LobeyDosser has hit the nail on the head. They will have to open smaller satellite stations to keep the cops in the areas where they work, otherwise they will be travelling miles out of their area constantly back to the central office to eat or do paperwork and it will be pointless.
Posted by: Bruce, Ayrshire on 12:09pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Call me old fashioned, but what is wrong with having smaller sub stations? At one time nearly every town and village had one. Then came 'rationalisation' ie - cost-cutting.
I can also remember designated 'police hooses' in the schemes. Knowing there was a polis nearby was enough to deter most low level crime, and it is from this type of crime bigger crimes grow.
All in all this is a good scheme. I hope it works out and leads to even more police presence. Just knowing a policeman is around somewhere is enough to give citzens confidence.
Call me old fashioned, but what is wrong with having smaller sub stations? At one time nearly every town and village had one. Then came 'rationalisation' ie - cost-cutting.
I can also remember designated 'police hooses' in the schemes. Knowing there was a polis nearby was enough to deter most low level crime, and it is from this type of crime bigger crimes grow.
All in all this is a good scheme. I hope it works out and leads to even more police presence. Just knowing a policeman is around somewhere is enough to give citzens confidence.
Posted by: John J. Sheridan, Z'ha'dum on 1:51pm Fri 13 Jun 08
[quote][bold]Bruce[/bold] wrote:
Call me old fashioned, but what is wrong with having smaller sub stations? At one time nearly every town and village had one. Then came 'rationalisation' ie - cost-cutting.
I can also remember designated 'police hooses' in the schemes. Knowing there was a polis nearby was enough to deter most low level crime, and it is from this type of crime bigger crimes grow.
All in all this is a good scheme. I hope it works out and leads to even more police presence. Just knowing a policeman is around somewhere is enough to give citzens confidence.
[/quote] Because Bruce, the same people who bleat like sheep about no coppers being available to turn up and wipe their fevered brows when the nastier elements get up to no good, are the very same people who nod approvingly when some Westminster idiot civil servant gives an equally stupid politician, dumb phrases about ' best value' , ' rationalisation' and ' modernisation'.
All stupid no nothing terms for cuts in service.
Every public service has been subject to it more or less in the last 15 years or so, particularly under blue labour.
They cant have it both ways, and it cant be done on the cheap.
No.....I am not a cop.
Bruce wrote:
Call me old fashioned, but what is wrong with having smaller sub stations? At one time nearly every town and village had one. Then came 'rationalisation' ie - cost-cutting.
I can also remember designated 'police hooses' in the schemes. Knowing there was a polis nearby was enough to deter most low level crime, and it is from this type of crime bigger crimes grow.
All in all this is a good scheme. I hope it works out and leads to even more police presence. Just knowing a policeman is around somewhere is enough to give citzens confidence.
Because Bruce, the same people who bleat like sheep about no coppers being available to turn up and wipe their fevered brows when the nastier elements get up to no good, are the very same people who nod approvingly when some Westminster idiot civil servant gives an equally stupid politician, dumb phrases about ' best value' , ' rationalisation' and ' modernisation'.
All stupid no nothing terms for cuts in service.
Every public service has been subject to it more or less in the last 15 years or so, particularly under blue labour.
They cant have it both ways, and it cant be done on the cheap.
No.....I am not a cop.
Posted by: JBlackley, Florida on 2:09pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Will this move reduce low-level crime in the community? I don't know. I do know (and applaud them for it) that this government seems to be making another common-sense move to try to address the real concerns of Scotland's citizens.
Beyond that, I have nothing to say as it has already been said in Supershug @ 3.37's excellent comment.
Will this move reduce low-level crime in the community? I don't know. I do know (and applaud them for it) that this government seems to be making another common-sense move to try to address the real concerns of Scotland's citizens.
Beyond that, I have nothing to say as it has already been said in Supershug @ 3.37's excellent comment.
Posted by: Ronald, Glasgow on 3:08pm Fri 13 Jun 08
You want to tackle crime; then look towards education, wealth re-distribution and poverty prevention. More cops? More violent thugs on the streets !
You want to tackle crime; then look towards education, wealth re-distribution and poverty prevention. More cops? More violent thugs on the streets !
Posted by: Ronald, Glasgow on 3:08pm Fri 13 Jun 08
You want to tackle crime; then look towards education, wealth re-distribution and poverty prevention. More cops? More violent thugs on the streets !
You want to tackle crime; then look towards education, wealth re-distribution and poverty prevention. More cops? More violent thugs on the streets !
Posted by: Graham, Glasgow on 5:50pm Fri 13 Jun 08
JBlackley,2:09pm. What a difference when a party is in power and what it says when in opposition. In my area 5 years ago crime was rising the yobs were getting away with murder. The politicians were told to stop sitting on their hands. The police were told to sort it out, they did. My local SNP councillor (nice wee wummin) supported the police and community which was out step with the nancy boy approach by the SNP in general. She had to live with the scum like the rest of us. As for Ronald above thats the usual crap from the lefties.[bold]bold[/bold]
JBlackley,2:09pm. What a difference when a party is in power and what it says when in opposition. In my area 5 years ago crime was rising the yobs were getting away with murder. The politicians were told to stop sitting on their hands. The police were told to sort it out, they did. My local SNP councillor (nice wee wummin) supported the police and community which was out step with the nancy boy approach by the SNP in general. She had to live with the scum like the rest of us. As for Ronald above thats the usual crap from the lefties.
Posted by: JBlackley, Florida on 7:29pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Graham @ 5.50 pm, thank you for responding to my comment and I do take your point.
Further to the comment above, each time someone says something to the effect of, "Let's not jail/hang/shoot/look sideways at the poor, underprivileged little thugs, let's try education/counsellin
g/poverty prevention (whatever that is)/handouts/nursing mothers", I wait to hear specific plans and specific actions that lead to specifc improvements. I've waited a long, long time.
As for "weatlh redistribution", I don't subscribe to communist ideals.
Graham @ 5.50 pm, thank you for responding to my comment and I do take your point.
Further to the comment above, each time someone says something to the effect of, "Let's not jail/hang/shoot/look sideways at the poor, underprivileged little thugs, let's try education/counsellin
g/poverty prevention (whatever that is)/handouts/nursing mothers", I wait to hear specific plans and specific actions that lead to specifc improvements. I've waited a long, long time.
As for "weatlh redistribution", I don't subscribe to communist ideals.
Posted by: Graham, Glasgow on 8:13pm Fri 13 Jun 08
JBlackley,7:29pm. I have never bought the poverty excuse. I was brought up in the tenement scenario. My Ma and Da died in it. I would have got a slapping if I told them I lived in poverty. You either respect your neighbours and try and lead a half decent life or act like scum. You can be loaded with money and still be a violent, here I go again using the scumbag word.[bold]bold[/bold]
JBlackley,7:29pm. I have never bought the poverty excuse. I was brought up in the tenement scenario. My Ma and Da died in it. I would have got a slapping if I told them I lived in poverty. You either respect your neighbours and try and lead a half decent life or act like scum. You can be loaded with money and still be a violent, here I go again using the scumbag word.
Posted by: JBlackley, Florida on 8:47pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Graham @ 8.13 pm. Thanks again.
We have that in common. While I spent only a few years in a tenement, my entire childhood was spent in my family's financial poverty - but money was the only measure by which we were poor.
My parents were excellent parents to us - despite having little money - and made great examples for us to follow and to live up to. And God help us if we failed to live up to their example.
Graham @ 8.13 pm. Thanks again.
We have that in common. While I spent only a few years in a tenement, my entire childhood was spent in my family's financial poverty - but money was the only measure by which we were poor.
My parents were excellent parents to us - despite having little money - and made great examples for us to follow and to live up to. And God help us if we failed to live up to their example.
Posted by: Ronald, Glasgow on 10:24pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Ah those far-right, NEW-LABOUR lunatics. Graham I suppose there must be some out in cyberspace who appreciate your rabid, demented burblings, as for the rest of us............well we just want to
punch you in the throat !
Ah those far-right, NEW-LABOUR lunatics. Graham I suppose there must be some out in cyberspace who appreciate your rabid, demented burblings, as for the rest of us............well we just want to
punch you in the throat !
Posted by: Graham, Glasgow on 11:54pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Ronald the violent one. Well they had to turn right after going to far to the left. Maybe they will turn back someday![bold]bold[/bold]
Ronald the violent one. Well they had to turn right after going to far to the left. Maybe they will turn back someday!
Posted by: Los Angeles, Edinburgh on 11:58pm Fri 13 Jun 08
Ronald[quote]Graham I suppose there must be some out in cyberspace who appreciate your rabid, demented burblings,[/quote] Dear old Graham is here for the company. The rest is wind.
Somebody made the grave error of giving the octogenarian a wee computer for his birthday, and feeling liberated from snarling at kids in the street from behind his net curtains, he's determined to be as curmudgeonly, an idiotic on the Internet, as he is at home to neighbours. To him, these forums are almost like a real breach of the peace only he can't throw his walking stick at passing cats.
Ronald
Graham I suppose there must be some out in cyberspace who appreciate your rabid, demented burblings,
Dear old Graham is here for the company. The rest is wind.
Somebody made the grave error of giving the octogenarian a wee computer for his birthday, and feeling liberated from snarling at kids in the street from behind his net curtains, he's determined to be as curmudgeonly, an idiotic on the Internet, as he is at home to neighbours. To him, these forums are almost like a real breach of the peace only he can't throw his walking stick at passing cats.
Posted by: Graham, Glasgow on 12:13am Sat 14 Jun 08
LA,11:58Ppm. Is that you peekin through the curtains opposite ma hoose LA. And less of the old. No need to remind me![bold]bold[/bold]
LA,11:58Ppm. Is that you peekin through the curtains opposite ma hoose LA. And less of the old. No need to remind me!
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