POLICE NEWS
JUST a quick introduction. I am Alasdair MacHardy and have just started as a Community Beat Officer in Culter after being the Community Beat Officer in Cove for the past four and a half years. I have been a member of the Police force for 10 years and it will be the first time I have worked here. I am looking forward to getting around and meeting some new faces. I did live in Culter for six years so I am familiar with the area and in those six years I did enjoy staying here.
My other connection with Culter is the Culter scooter. After Allan Constable left, I inherited the scooter to get around Cove. It has now returned but it is a newer model. I suppose the same could be said of the officer riding it! (No offence, Allan.)
Kevin McKenzie has moved onto new pastures however Graeme Stewart is still based at Culter. In fact, Graeme has thrown me into the deep end as has got me typing my first article for the Culter Courier. Why me you ask? It’s so that he can prepare for his holidays which he keeps reminding me about - my time will come!
In my short spell, I have noticed that there are congregations of youths at the car park adjacent to Alldays. This I believe is the historical meeting place for those youths who certainly gathered there when I lived here. I hav no objections to this, as long as it does not interfere with other people who want to go about their daily life without being exposed to verbal abuse, anti-social behaviour, drunkenness and intimidation. This will not be tolerated.
For those who do not already know it is an OFFENCE TO DRINK IN A PUBLIC PLACE, and some have already found out to their cost as they have been charged.
As for Crime in the Culter area, there have been two break-ins to houses and five acts of vandalism.
One thing I have found in my time as a Community Beat Officer is that if there are any problems within a community, the answers usually lie with those who live in
it. It has been bought to my attention by residents and businesses that there has been an increase in Youth problems around the area of the shops. The way I look at things is that the Community polices itself with the assistance of the Police. i.e. You are our eyes and ears. You live here, I don’t, so at certain times of the day you are more amenable to what is going on. If there is a problem, don’t hesitate to contact us. What we are told about we can deal with.
Grampian Police has adopted Intelligence-Led Policing which depends on information from a variety of sources including YOU. From the information we receive we can organise our resources to deal with the problem in the most efficient way to achieve the desired result.
If there are cases of under age drinking, vandalism or other anti social behaviour, phone the police (01224 38600). Depending on the seriousness of the incident, I cannot always guarantee a response but every time you call and report something at the time
of the incident, it gets logged on the computer. As a result I can interpret the data and establish if there is a pattern to these events, which means I can manage my time more efficiently in helping to resolve these matters.
Any way that’s enough for now. I will see you around. Take Care!
Alasdair MacHardy