Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill met a Cupar shopkeeper on Wednesday to find out how responsible licensees were tackling underage drinking.
Ashiq Fahim, who runs the Key Store in Ladywynd, has signed up to Fife Constabulary’s Bottlewatch scheme to help address the blight on communities caused by alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour.
Bottlewatch is set to be rolled out across Fife in the autumn. Bottles containing alcoholic drinks will be given a permanent mark, allowing police to trace where they were sold. It is hoped the scheme will be a deterrent to irresponsible licensees who sell alcohol to under-18s.
“I’m happy to be involved in anything that will help police tackle underage drinking,” Mr Fahim said. “At the end of the day, we are responsible for making sure that drink doesn’t get to kids I see kids getting drunk in the street and I wouldn’t like to see my kids doing that.”
Mr MacAskill was accompanied by Fife Council administration leader Councillor Peter Grant and police, fire and safety committee chairman George Kay, along with local officers. Before leaving the shop he put his hand in his pocket to buy a raffle ticket for the Caring for Cupar charity being supported by the business.
The minister said, “Bottlewatch is another excellent initiative. It’s an initiative we welcome and is a testament to how Fife Constabulary is looking after its communities.Trace the source”Bottlewatch allows police to trace the source and hopefully trace the perpetrators who are providing alcohol to youngsters. Co-operation between licensees and other partner agencies is paying dividends.”
He added that the Scottish Government was still committed to introducing minimum pricing in an attempt to tackle the country’s binge drinking culture.
Mr MacAskill earlier met Fife Chief Constable Norma Graham and officers in Glenrothes to hear updates on issues including young offender management and e-crime. He said the force was doing “excellent” work.
“My priority is to keep Scotland safe, protecting and improving policing in local communities in the face of budget cuts from Westminster. With a record number of police officers, 1107 in Fife Constabulary, the force is doing an excellent job keeping neighbourhoods safe.
“I am particularly interested to see the work Fife Constabulary is taking forward around alcohol abuse. Tackling Scotland’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol is a priority for this government and we are determined to take decisive action to end the heavy drinking culture once and for all.”
Mr Kay welcomed Mr Fahim’s involvement and said, “I think it’s tremendous that responsible licence holders are keen to engage with the community and with the police. Unfortunately there are still one or two people who would rather operate outside that environment.”
Mrs Graham said, “I am pleased the cabinet secretary for justice has the chance to see for himself how Fife Constabulary has taken policing closer to the community through a local community policing approach which delivered an 11% reduction in crime in Fife last year.
“Anti-social behaviour, which is often linked with irresponsible drinking, has been raised as the main issue of concern at local engagement meetings throughout the kingdom and, working with our communities and partners, the force has delivered a 23% reduction in anti-social behaviour in the past year.”