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Dundee police chief promises full review after Broughty Ferry beach brawl

Chief Inspector Ross Fitzgerald. Mhairi Edwards/DCT Media
Chief Inspector Ross Fitzgerald. Mhairi Edwards/DCT Media

Dundee’s police chief has promised to provide a full review of the mass fighting this summer at Broughty Ferry beach after recognising the impact it had on locals.

Chief Inspector Ross Fitzgerald said the force will share its findings next month after almost 100 teenagers were reported to have been involved in fighting in July.

The sudden violence saw a police car badly damaged while one teenager suffered facial injuries.

Speaking at the council’s community safety and public protection committee held this week, Ch Insp Fitzgerald outlined the local force’s strategic response and community engagement after the chaos.

Reassurance of community policing

Ch Insp Fitzgerald said: “It was my intention to give a kind of full update on the issues in Broughty Ferry, so that will certainly land in September.

“We know how much impact it had locally and across the city because of the press pick-up on that.

“What I can give is a reassurance that the community policing team at Broughty Ferry are well on top of that issue.”

‘Small number tarnished other’s reputation’

The senior officer continued: “I would stress the point that the vast majority of young people who were there, I don’t think had any intent to cause alarm, disturbance or commit a crime.

“But we did see that small number who tarnished the reputation of all of the others.

Families on a hot day at Broughty Ferry beach.

“So, it’s about identifying them, as we did, getting them taken home and actually positively engaging with parents to highlight those behaviours and how they can do their bit to support the reduction of antisocial behaviour.”

After gathering evidence against a number of young people who took part in the fighting on what was one of the hottest days of the year, police escorted them home and charged them in front of their parents.

‘An improving picture’

Ch Insp Fitzgerald outlined measures taken in the aftermath of the beach battle that disturbed local residents of the normally sedate Tayside suburb.

“We’ve continued with high visibility patrols in the area, despite reducing numbers of youths seen in the area,” he said.

“We’ve certainly seen reducing numbers recently to the extent that complaints are really at very low levels again, more redolent of what we normally see.

Chief Inspector Ross Fitzgerald has promised a full review after the Broughty Ferry beach brawl.

“So, a positive picture, a positive response in terms of across the local authority, not only from ourselves, but the positive views from community wardens and others in the local authority.

“Definitely an improving picture, but we’re always mindful of the potential for (levels of disturbance) to increase again and we’ll keep that on our radar.”

Ch Insp Fitzgerald was responding to Broughty Ferry Conservative councillor Derek Scott, who had raised concerns of any potential repeat of the violence.

Mr Scott also praised local officers for their response to the incident that occurred on the shoreline last month.

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