A councillor from Dundee’s East End has welcomed the new community engagement team into Mid Craigie and Linlathen.
The team arrived in the area following a deployment in Lochee, where it made more than 50 arrests — 19 of which were for drugs offences.
Residents in its new patch have said that the main issue they would like to see addressed by officers is anti-social behaviour involving young people.
Councillor Will Dawson, who represents the ward which contains Linlathen and Mid Craigie, said officers were “certainly going to be welcomed” into the area.
He added, “Anything that can help with the problem of anti-social behaviour is positive.
“My parents live in that part of the city and I know that there have been lots of problems in the past associated with groups of young people causing a nuisance, particularly round Pitkerro Drive.
“I think the officers need to be a lot more visible. It will create a feeling of security if people can see them patrolling the streets.”
The team will be led by Sergeant Mark Lamont, who was in charge of the Lochee operation, which began in November.
He said officers would work in conjunction with a number of other agencies over the next eight weeks in a bid to cut crime in the area.
He said, “The community engagement team will be working closely with community wardens, youth intervention workers, councillors and residents to improve quality of life.
“We want to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour but, more importantly, to put long-term measures in place to make a meaningful difference to those who live in those areas.”
Chief Superintendent Gavin Robertson, head of policing in Dundee, hailed the “tremendous” impact the community engagement team has had in Lochee.
Councillor Tom Ferguson, who represents Lochee on Dundee City Council, has repeatedly called for a more permanent police presence in light of the increased numbers of arrests made when the team were stationed in his ward.
Chief Superintendent Robertson said, “Community engagement is every bit as important as police enforcement.
“Officers have been extremely proactive and have engaged fully with residents, businesses and members of the licensed trade.
“Drug abusers and criminals who frequently gathered in the High Street in Lochee are no longer congregating there, making the area much more desirable for residents, businesses and shoppers.”