Units Target Edinburgh’s Anti-Social Hotspots

Seven new teams dedicated to dealing with anti-social behaviour and community safety issues have been launched in Edinburgh.

The neighbourhood action units will be based in seven areas across the city.

They will calculate the peak times when anti-social behaviour occurs before working out shift patterns to put officers where they are needed most.

There will be 84 police officers posted throughout the city who will offer a seven day per week service.

The city has been broken up into areas: south, north, east west, central, south west and Pentlands.

The work of the action units will be intelligence-led and will include high visibility, targeted patrols and initiatives with partner agencies such as Edinburgh City Council environmental wardens.

They will each be responsible for a specific local area and can be contacted by residents by phone or e-mail.

Ch Supt George Simpson, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: “We have achieved a great deal in Edinburgh and the development of the neighbourhood action units is a key element of our commitment along with our council partners to addressing community safety issues and making Edinburgh an even safer city.”

Councillor Norman Work, whose ward covers Almond, said: “The overall crime rate continues to fall significantly and the introduction of the neighbourhood action units means we will build on this success.”