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Mission Impossible
Your mission, should you care to accept,
is to go out on the beat with two Police Officers from
Howdenhall Police Station on a cold and damp November evening to find
out if the young people in the area are really causing chaos!
Is there really a problem with young people in the
South Edinburgh area? Many people's perception of youngsters today is
that they have little respect for their elders or other people's
property. Are the kids any worse now than 20 years ago when I was
growing up? Are people less tolerant?
In October, throughout the whole of the area covered
by Howdenhall Police Station (approximately from Morningside to the City
Bypass) , there were 422 calls received from members of the public
relating to 'Youth Disorder'.
‘Youth Disorder' covers a variety of sins, from
harassing shopkeepers and kicking footballs around in unsuitable places,
to letting off fireworks and intimidating local residents.
PC Scott Robertson told me a little more about the
Howdenhall Youth Initiative which ran from the 28th October to 8th
November: 'Inspector Clark has worked hard to secure the extra resources
needed to implement this initiative. By calling on additional support
from elsewhere, we are able to deal with calls relating to young people
much quicker. Particularly at this time of year, we receive calls every
night about young people. By having a specific team to deal with the
calls, it frees up resources to cover other incidents.'
Members of the public who have a need to call the
Police for any matter should find that their complaint is dealt with
much quicker, as rather than having half a dozen PCs to deal with all
calls, the shift is doubled.
HIGHER PROFILE
During the two weeks of the pilot project, a minimum
of six Police Constables, normally the Community PCs, and a Sergeant
have been out and about around the area and have been responding to any
and all calls with any reference to young people.
"By having a higher profile in the area, the
young people are aware that we are around and are not as high-spirited
as they have been. Most of the time, these youngsters are not actually
doing anything illegal, just being in high spirits and making a
noise."
On Tuesday November 6th, I was given permission to
accompany PC Scott Robertson and PC Alison Porter out in the car to find
out what the youngsters were up to.
After they had managed to beg a car from CID (unmarked
of course, to add to the fun!) we went out and about to await our first
call. We didn't have long to wait - our first call was to a report of
youths with fireworks at the Inch. Unfortunately, the person who had
called did not want to leave their name. After a slow recce around the
area, apart from a few youngsters in the school playground, there was
nothing to be found.
PC Robertson told me: 'As the caller didn't leave
their name, even if we had come across a gang of kids, we wouldn't have
been able to do much as we don't have proof that it was them.'
Obviously, nowadays people are afraid to make
themselves known for fear of recriminations, but this only adds to the
frustrations of the local Police.
Our next call was to a house in Southhouse who had
reported gatecrashers at their family fireworks party. As it turned out,
by the time we got there the culprits had ran off, but not before
hopping over the fence and helping themselves to a few fireworks.
MOBILE PHONE
As we left Southhouse to have a look around the other
areas, we saw legs and a cycle poking out from behind a car. The young
lad had apparently fallen off his bike and was 'having a rest'! After
stopping to speak to the lad and his friends, who were between the ages
of five and seven, we were on our way back down towards Moredun, where a
young man had used his mobile phone to phone the police and tell them
that there was a gang of about 20 not very friendly youths waiting for
him outside.
As we got there, there were three young lads walking
away up Old Dalkeith Road. Seeing us arrive, they turned back and headed
towards us. It had been one of them who had called, although he assured
us that it had all been sorted out, although he had a bit of a sore
face. After assuring the Officers that they weren't about to find the
gang and take their revenge, they went on their way.
Heading out towards Prestonfield, who were included in
the initiative after fears that some of the youths may head down there
after being moved on from other areas, the car screeched to a halt and
PC Robertson jumped out. It was only after the car had stopped that I
saw a boy jump over the fence. PC Robertson and PC Porter had seen the
young man tapping on the window of a house. Although the lad claimed to
have done nothing worse than knock on the window, PC Porter knocked on
the door of the house to find out if the resident was okay - only to
find a terrified 80 year old woman who lived on her own. After taking
the lad's details and asking him to apologise to the woman, the lad
skulked off looking suitably ashamed.
THOUGHTLESS
Happening just days after the news broke about the
elderly couple who were bound and gagged in Newington, god only knows
how shaken this woman was - especially as she told us that it happens on
a regular basis. How thoughtless of this lad, who probably has a
grandmother or elderly relatives of his own!
More reports of fireworks and groups of youngsters
playing football in the streets, but again, caller declined to leave
their details.
We eventually got down to Prestonfield, where it was
all quiet on the Southern front!
Driving by the Scout Hall beside Cameron Toll Shopping
Centre, we spotted thick smoke and decided to take a look. It was a
couple of Scouts doing their good deed for the day and burning a pile of
leaves and branches. The other Police van which had joined us earlier in
the night had the same idea as us and pulled in just as were leaving.
As it all seemed fairly quiet, I decided to call it a
night and my kind hosts for the evening returned me to Howdenhall Police
Station to pick up my car.
Back at the station I asked PC Robertson if this was
an average night? 'It is unusual for it to be this quiet when it is dry
outside. The rain is our greatest ally, no-one likes to get drenched
through!'
COMMON SENSE
This 'common sense policing' approach seems to be
working. In the first week of the initiative there were 51 incidents
reported, with 10 youngsters taken home to their parents and 118 spoken
to about their actions.
Taking an average on reported incidents from the
previous month, this represents a 50% drop in calls.
Why? It could either be because young people are more
aware of the Police being around or, maybe members of the public have
given up phoning to report things.
After speaking to a few local youngsters, it is clear
that they do not want to get into trouble. If they had somewhere to hang
about where they wouldn't annoy anyone, they would go there.
Hopefully, with the 'Open All Hours' programme running
between January and March, where community centres and Gracemount
Leisure Centre are open on Friday and Saturday nights, the youngsters
will have somewhere to go and something to do, so leaving residents in
peace, at least for a little while.
One last thought - remember when you were young?
Playing Sneaky Sam? Tap door run? Scrumping? Drinking in the park? Ring
any bells?
Susie Donkin
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