A POLICE force has formed a pioneering special task force to act as troubleshooters in crime hot spots.
Tayside Police revealed yesterday that the first target for the new hit squad will be the Angus town of Arbroath, where the nine-strong team will be deployed to crack down on a range of crime blighting the area – from drug and alcohol abuse to antiso
cial behaviour – as well as road safety.
A force spokeswoman said: "The remit of the new community task force, comprising one sergeant and eight constables, is to deploy to a specific area of Tayside and, while working together as a unit, be directed by local police managers towards tackling local issues.
"Rather than a 'flash in the pan' approach, deployment durations will vary from three to six months, in order for the team to make a sustainable impact on the issues or problems in the community that they are working in."
She went on: "The team's first deployment in Arbroath will see the officers tackle drugs, alcohol-related problems, crime, road safety and antisocial behaviour."
Superintendent Ewen West, the deputy divisional commander, will be overseeing the work of the task force in the town, which is due to last until mid-January.
And he warned that the new hit squad would make Arbroath a hostile environment for drug dealers and other criminals operating there.
He stressed: "The work being carried out by the community task force in Arbroath is not a quick fix.
"This is a dedicated team of officers who will be in Arbroath, supporting the work already being done by their beat officer colleagues, to make a real difference to the lives of people who live in the town.
"Tayside Police alone cannot tackle drugs, violence and antisocial behaviour. Only by working with others, be they in the health service, education departments or communities themselves, can we begin to make significant inroads."
Mr West added: "Some residents in Arbroath will have already noticed that we have hit the ground running, with a number of police operations in the town in the last week.
"We have lots more planned over the coming months, and we will strive to do everything we can to engage with the Arbroath community in order to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour.
"We want people to report incidents to us, rather than looking the other way," he said. "That way they can make a real difference in the community.''
Local councillor Bob Spink praised the initiative. He said: "It will mean more bobbies on the beat, a sharper response time and that action can be taken quickly and be seen to be taken. And the people who are perpetrators (of crime] will get the message."
The full article contains 464 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
