VIDEO: Tayside’s new police chief promises more bobbies on the beat

A former hostage negotiator says he will take no prisoners when it comes to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour on the streets of Tayside.

The region’s Chief Superintendent Eddie Smith also pledged more community officers on the beat and a “particular focus” on boosting housebreaking detection rates.

Mr Smith, who is from Hamilton, took up his new role two weeks ago, replacing outgoing Chief Superintendent Hamish Macpherson.

“My commitment starting as Divisional Commander in D Division is to increase and enhance the number of community police officers because I think that’s the right thing to do,” he told The Courier.

“It shows my commitment to being able to provide a service to the community councils, not necessarily by sitting for three hours in a community council meeting, but by having more officers dedicated to community policing dealing with all problems within the multi-member wards.”

For more on this story see Wednesday’s Courier.