Tonight's Evening Telegraph covers the concerns about violent crime in the Tayside Police Beat 26 area - this includes parts of the West End Ward and extends down to 'night-time economy' areas adjacent to the City Centre.Any extent of violent crime in the area is of great concern and I am reassured that our local police officers put in very significant effort into the prevention and detection of this sort of crime. It is extremely important that residents live in a safe environment and are given reassurance that the police act swiftly and effectively to tackle each and every instance of criminal activity.
With specific regard to the concern about violent crimes in part of the West End Ward, I am pleased that, from this week, Tayside Police’s Community Engagement Team is being deployed in the West End and Lochee areas and this will provide additional police resources. I specifically asked our Police Inspector for the area for reassurance that this additional resource will be deployed to tackle exactly this sort of criminal behaviour and have had this response :
" ... this large beat starts at the railway station and stretches to Balgay Hill. I have just done a very quick look during the last 2 months and there have been assaults, but nearly all have been in the 'spine' of the Marketgait.
The C26 beat covers places like the new Gala Casino, West Port and public houses in South Tay Street, which are still part of the city centre and have a large night time economy, due to being popular places to visit. Alcohol normally is a contributing factor in assaults in these areas. Officers are deployed at peak times at weekends through Operation Centresafe as part of our normal business."
On my request about use of the additional resources of the Community Engagement Team that will supplement existing local police resources, I am assured that this has been passed onto the team, which is to be welcomed.