A month-long operation targeting Dundee crime hotspots is “hitting the parasites” of the city, police have claimed.
More than 30 people have been arrested and 60 drug offenders dealt with in the first week of Operation LABO, which has also recovered illegal substances and weapons.
The Courier joined Operation LABO officers in Dundee as they hit the streets with colleagues from Strathclyde to enforce warrants, carry out searches and visit known domestic abuse offenders.
The force has warned it is hitting the “parasites of communities” hard during the operation, making it difficult for criminals to lie low.
More than 60 officers were involved in yesterday’s crackdown, which began after briefings at Baluniefield station and the city centre.
Dundee Constable Long Nguyen and Constable Danielle O’Hara from Castlemilk were dispatched to a flat near the waterfront to apprehend a man wanted on warrant for breaching his curfew, officially known as a restriction of liberty order.
There was no answer at the door and although the officers can force their way into a property if they suspect the person is there, a quick chat with the neighbours revealed the man’s car was not outside.
PC O’Hara said: “Some people try and hide from us, some accept it. Sometimes if they know they will be going to jail, it can be different.”
PC Nguyen added: “We can’t take any chances. Even if the person is OK before, they can just kick off.
“This operation gives us a lot more resource. We can do more stops, find more drugs, make people feel safer.”
Each Dundee officer was paired up with a colleague from Strathclyde and the three teams involved in the operation spread out across the city, focusing on areas known for anti-social behaviour or drug problems.
Chief Inspector Shaun McKillop said: “The people that we are arresting are either wanted on warrant or committing offences.
“So, regardless whether it’s someone from Glasgow or Dundee that’s arresting them, the bottom line is they are committing offences and they’ll be anticipating this.
“They will be more aware there are far more officers going about Dundee so it will be far more difficult to hide away from it.”
Chief Superintendent Hamish Macpherson, Divisional Commander for Tayside, said: “Last week we arrested 22 people on warrants and on Tuesday alone we arrested 12 people.
“We are targeting violent offenders, people involved in domestic abuse and people involved in the dealing of drugs if you like, being a parasite of communities.”
Mr Macpherson said the operation was a departure from routine policing in the city.
“The difference with this is maximising the resources across Scotland,” he said.
“We’ve always run operations but the difference was that historically I would have had to go to Perth and empty Perth of resources to maximise Dundee.
“As it is now, with 17,000 officers within Scotland, I can call for resources without having any effect on community policing in Tayside.”