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Ward 7 Community Council Report
TURRIFF AND DISTRICT
FYVIE, ROTHIENORMAN AND MONQUHITTER
AUCHTERLESS, INVERKEITHNY AND FISHERFORD
METHLICK
January 2021
**In the event of a Police non-attendance at the meeting, can you ensure that you provide any concerns raised at the meeting to the Police ASAP by email to ensure we capture any issues early and can provide an update at the next meeting.**
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Community Council Report
This report covers progress we have made in dealing with your priorities for the Ward 7 area from the 27th December 2020 to the 31st January 2021.
This report aims to highlight emerging issues in your area, and to provide crime prevention advice and guidance to Community Council members and residents you represent. Our focus is to reduce crime and disorder, help create safer communities and respond effectively to local concerns.
Community Policing Priorities
- Antisocial behaviour, Violence and Disorder
- Acquisitive Crime
- Road Safety & Road Crime
In an attempt to move away from the more statistical monthly based report we have previously provided, we are now providing a more generalised view on crime in the area and will highlight trends and specific incidents which have had a significant impact on the community as a whole.
The statistical returns for the area will be provided bi-annually to the Area Committee by the local Area Commander. These statistics will then be sent by the Area Committee to each Community Council twice a year in line with the frequency of those meetings.
Compared with the previous month we have seen:
- a reduction in violent crime and anti-social behaviour, specifically in the Turriff area. Domestic related offences and offences between persons who are known one another continue to make up the vast majority of this crime type.
- the number of reported drugs cases has remained stable.
- there has been an increase in the number of acquisitive crimes reported this month, specifically Theft by Shopliftings.
- road crime remains at a typical level for our area, with reports being submitted against drivers with No Insurance, Careless Driving, Speeding and Failing to Stop after a collision.
During January we have seen the number of online frauds / extortions increase slightly in our area.
One common type is online sextortion, whereby individuals are incited to partake in sexual activities via video chat with unknown persons and thereafter are extorted for money with the threat of these images being released to friends, family and the wider public.
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Another increasingly common type is for individuals being contacted and encouraged to undertake in a fraudulent investment scheme, with the promise of big pay-outs if they just first send a quantity of money, the pay-outs never arrive and increasingly more money is asked for.
Police Scotland always encourages safe use of the internet. I would advise not engaging with persons online who you do not know or have not contacted yourself, do not provide any personal information that could assist them identify you, do not accept any video calls from persons you don’t know. I would encourage parents of teenagers and young adults to have a serious conversation about internet safety and the consequences of actions online, which may have long lasting effects.
The investment schemes are particularly enticing these days with so many people being out of work or on reduced wages during the current restrictions. I would encourage everyone to carryout detailed online research into any online investments before engaging, as always if it seems too good to be true it likely is.
Also this month, we had reports of a series of Thefts and Attempted Thefts from motor vehicles and garages in the Turriff area. Enquiry into this is still ongoing and it is suspected that one individual is responsible for all of these crimes. I would like to remind everyone to make sure your doors and windows on your vehicles and homes are locked, even when you are at home. The lack of opportunity for a criminal is sometimes the difference between being the victim of a crime or not.
Operation Cedar / Illustrious:
Operation CEDAR continues to target driver behaviour with a focus on education of poor behaviours. This core operation forms a key part of our local anti-social behaviour / driving campaign, Operation ILLUSTRIOUS and Operation ABACABLUE.
Operation Illustrious continues to provide dedicated speeding patrols across Formartine. During this period twelve drivers have been warned and two drivers receiving fixed penalty tickets regarding excessive speeds.
We have also received reports concerning speeding vehicles through Turriff town centre this month. I would like to remind residents that the speed limit for High Street and Main Street, Turriff remains at 20 mph. Officers will be carrying out additional speed checks in the area throughout February in order to combat this issue.
Community Engagement & Reassurance
Keep safe - "Prevention is at the heart of everything Police Scotland does to keep people safe."
The Keep Safe section of the Police Scotland website, found here: https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/, provides you with useful information on protecting your home and property, tips on staying safe when out and about, and a wealth of advice for victims of crime.
Given the recent change in road and weather conditions, I would like to highlight the:
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Winter Road Safety section - https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/road- safety/winter-road-safety/
Here you can find advice on how to stay safe this winter whether you are travelling on foot, by cycle or car.
Online safety:
The National Cyber Security Centre have launched their ‘Cyber Aware’ campaign which hopes to educate the public in ways to protect themselves whilst online.
For further information please visit: www.cyberaware.gov.uk
Rural Watch
North East Scotland Rural Crime and Safety Partnership has been set up to specifically target matters affecting rural areas, including road safety, acquisitive crime, agricultural safety, live- stock worrying and hare-coursing.
In addition to this and after consultation with the national Neighbourhood Watch and the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), the Formartine Community Policing Team is keen to encourage local residents to sign up and use “Rural Watch Scotland”. You can register online by visiting: https://member-registration.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/173/Join
Police Scotland regularly use this service as a means to convey various information about our local area. It has the benefit of being able to include more detailed information than is possible in a social media post, so it is really worthwhile signing up. Sign up is free and doesn’t take long.
Information regarding your rights and responsibilities in relation to outdoor access can be found here: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/paths-and-outdoor-access/outdoor-access/your-rights-and- responsibilities/
COVID-19
On Saturday 26th December 2020, the Scottish Government placed the country into Tier 4 restrictions in order to prevent the spread of the virus. These restrictions are set to continue as we enter February.
I would like to remind everyone that it is your personal responsibility to keep yourself and your families safe and up to date with current restrictions and measures put in place by the Scottish Government. The essence of the current restrictions is to stay at home and reduce your contact with other people.
Face coverings are mandatory in shops and other places where effective social distancing is unlikely.
Current guidance states that you should only car share with members of your own, or extended, household and follow the safe travel guidance.
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For specific tier 4 guidance please visit: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid- 19-protection-levels/pages/protection-level-4/
Further guidance can be found on the Scottish Governments website by following this link: https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance/
Additional information and details can also be found here: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need- to-know/
During this period we have received a number of reports regarding suspected breaches of COVID regulations. Each incident was found to be within the confines of the regulations and guidance, with additional education and clarity being provided on a number of occasions. I can advise that no one has been charged with a breach of COVID regulation in the Ward 7 area this month.
Suicide Prevention:
"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has yet to be fully understood, but all organisations agree that it will have had an effect on the mental wellbeing on our communities, particularly around personal resilience.
Sadly we have seen a rise in suicide over the last few months across the region, which is devastating for families and friends, but also impacts widely across communities, as they come to terms with such a sudden loss. There can be residual feelings of guilt or shame, caused by stigma (the feeling of being judged).
Helping starts with conversation, and not being scared to mention the suicide. If someone is feeling that low, talking about suicide WILL NOT put the idea in their head, but it might release some of the pressure however. Educate yourself around suicide, be kind, and ask people how they are feeling, and most importantly listen, you don’t have to be an expert or have the answers or give views, just be an empathetic ear.
Support information: www.unitedtopreventsuicide.org.uk - Scotland’s official new movement to prevent suicide
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www.preventsuicideapp.com Provides info for those affected by suicide, contact details for services in Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire and allows users to create their own safety plan. Available to download as a free phone app from your app store
SAMARITANS is a confidential 24hr emotional support service for anyone in the UK and Ireland Phone - 116 123 Samaritains.org [email protected]
BREATHING SPACE 0800 83 85 87 Is a free and confidential phone line service Mon – Thurs 6pm to 2am, Fri 6pm – Mon 6am (lines open 24hrs at weekends)
Contact Us
Please also remember you can communicate with us using any of the following:
➢ 101 – Non emergency; ➢ Email - [email protected] ➢ Twitter - @NorthEPolice ➢ Facebook – www.facebook.com/NorthEastPoliceDivision ➢ Web – www.scotland.police.uk ➢ 999 – Emergency; ➢ 0800 555 111 - Crimestoppers;
Sergeant Richard Barnwell Formartine Community Policing Team Date: 2 February 2021
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