| Police urge public to talk out about local crime |
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| Written by Andrea O'Neill | ||||||
 East Kilbride cops want residents to speak out about crime. In a bid to tackle crime and increase awareness of community policing teams across the town, the police have launched a campaign to let locals have their say. A survey carried out last November aimed to determine the top nine policing priorities in each ward area of East Kilbride. Officers talked to 50 residents in each ward about crime and what police activity they thought should be prioritised. The results (detailed opposite) highlighted the same three issues concerning each community – assault and violent crime, drunk or disorderly behaviour (including vandalism and graffiti) and drug abuse. Speeding motorists, housebreaking and other theft, were also stressed as a main priority. Superintendent Bob Graham of East Kilbride police said: “I can produce statistics which tell me about problems but it is more effective to actually ask the public about what issues are affecting them. “I’m delivering local policing to each individual ward to try and tackle what is a concern to them. People should be telling police what they want us to deliver.” To identify priorities for the coming year, community policing teams are holding a series of public consultation events throughout the town. Sergeant Barry McGinley said: “Residents are invited to come and express their views of what police should be focusing on. “Community officers will also be carrying our a number of signal interviews – these are face to face interviews conducted in and around a designated crime ‘hot spot’ to establish what crimes committed locally are responsible for causing the local community to have a higher level of ‘fear of crime’. “This gives us three sources of reference to indicate what the public see as problems within communities. Police will prioritise the most important concerns for that area and target them accordingly. “By addressing the priorities identified and working with partner agencies, we hope to make the communities safer to work and live.” The consultation for EK South will take place at Greenhills Hall on March 16 at 7.30pm; EK Central North at Kirktonholme Hall on March 17 at 7pm; EK East at Alison Lea Hall on March 22 at 7pm; EK West at Stewartfield Community Centre on March 23 at 7.30pm; Avondale at Ballgreen Hall on March 24 and EK Central South at Westwood Hall on March 31 at 7pm.
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