Police Scotland Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 13 June 2023
Back to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee — 13 June 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Pride Month 2023 Police Scotland is celebrating Pride Month and the contributions that LGBT+ officers and staff make to policing and to our organisation. The Pride season provides an opportunity to acknowledge how far LGBT+ rights have progressed in recent decades and gives us the chance to reflect on the sacrifices and struggles of those who made a stand in the past to get to where we are now. This year’s Pride also comes at a pivotal time in the history of Police Scotland and more widely, policing in the UK, as the Chief Constable recently addressed the matter of institutional discrimination. For many of our colleagues, this will have been a very difficult thing to hear and may not reflect what many of us see when we come to work. Unfortunately, the evidence shows that is not everyone’s experience and too many of our colleagues have faced a form of prejudice in the course of performing their duties. Discrimination of any kind, whether in person or in policies and practices, is unacceptable and no one should come to work and feel excluded because of who they are. Police Scotland has a responsibility to nurture the trust that provides our policing legitimacy by showing zero tolerance towards discrimination and continuing to build public confidence by providing a professional policing response to all victims and all communities. Acknowledging that there is a problem is the first step to tackling it and that is one of the strong historical messages of Pride, with its origins in protest against the discrimination that the LGBT+ community in New York faced in the late 60s. Pride is about acceptance, equality, education and raising awareness of issues affecting the LGBT+ community. Community Survey 23/24 We recognise the importance of understanding the views and priorities of Scotland's diverse communities. This survey is a platform for you to tell us your views and experience of your police service. Responses are analysed weekly to help shape how we do things. It’s a way for us to listen to the needs of our diverse communities. Let us know what we’re getting right and what we can do better. The survey is completely anonymous. You will not be personally identified through the information you provide. The survey can be found online at Police Scotland’s Web site. Complete the survey here
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Hate Crime Hate crime is behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in prejudice. It can be verbal or physical. We know that hate negatively impacts on people, communities and on wider society. For those affected, the damage can have a long lasting effect. We recorded 5,640 hate crimes in 2021-22 and we have also seen a rise in hate crimes committed against our officers. Current hate crime laws cover any existing offence motivated by prejudice relating to race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and transgender identity. Inciting racial hatred and racially motivated harassment are existing standalone hate crime offences. Police Scotland is committed to supporting Scotland’s communities in line with our values of integrity, fairness, respect and upholding human rights. In our new Don’t Feed Hate campaign we talk about the Hate Monster. It’s that feeling some people get when they are angry and frustrated and then try to make themselves feel better by lashing out at others, because they think they are different or lesser in some way. This can lead to committing a hate crime. The Hate Monster doesn’t respect you, but we do. We urge anyone who has experienced or witnessed hate to report it.
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OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Helensburgh & Lomond Local Initiatives. Operation Balaton This is a multi-agency partnership that pulls together resources to provide a coordinated response to incidents within the Loch Lomond area. Partner agencies from Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue, British Transport Police, West Dunbartonshire Council, Argyll & Bute Council, Scot Rail and The National Park are working together to reduce the impact of anti-social behaviour, alcohol consumption, and are promoting water safety by providing a robust, proportionate, and effective response to incidents. Summer Speed Watch As part on the summer Road Safety Campaign, local officers will be engaging in the Speed watch Campaign, focussing on the A82 through Argyll and West Dunbartonshire. Officers will be engaging with motorists travelling through the A82, particularly motorcyclists and those visiting the area unfamiliar with the local speed limits. In response to local community concerns, local officers will visit towns and villages in the area, assisted by Road Policing officers who will monitor the arterial route. The purpose is to crack down on those who would treat the area as a race-track, travelling at high speed or taking unnecessary and dangerous risks, putting themselves and others at harm. Working with partner agencies, Police Scotland will enhance the safety of all road users and pedestrians to make their time in Argyll a pleasant experience. Water Safety Events A series of water safety events will take place at various locations around Loch Lomond over the summer months. Partner agencies including Loch Lomond Rescue Boat, HM Coastguard, RNLI, National Park and SFRS will provide general safety advice along with instruction on throwline techniques, hidden hazards, emergency contacts and a Lifejacket clinic.