Police help public stay safe over festive period

They have joined forces to deliver their local festive campaign to keep the community safe in the run up to Christmas and the New Year.

Glenrothes Community Inspector Joanne McEwan said: “This year we have focused, more than ever, on partnerships to deliver a safe festive period for our communities.

“As always we will be working closely with our partners in Fife Council and the Kingdom Centre as well as having the benefit of the support and commitment of the Glenrothes Safer Neighbourhood Group.

Kirkcaldy Community Inspector Graeme Neill said: “By working so closely with our colleagues in Glenrothes and making best use of specialist support available from across Police Scotland we can better match our resources to areas of need.

“In terms of keeping shoppers and shopkeepers safe and addressing retail crime, the Kirkcaldy Retail Crime Team will be stepping up their activities over the Christmas shopping period.

“The fitting of a radio mast to the ASDA store has enhanced radio communication between outlying stores and now allows stores within the Fife Central Retail Park to participate.

“Our retail crime staff are currently negotiating the inclusion of all the Co-op stores in the area to link in with the network.”

The Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy festive safety campaign will focus on the following actions:

Road Safety: Keeping people safe on the roads by increasing vehicle stops and targeting offenders.

Targeting morning-after drink drivers with increased breath tests.

Party Safety: Reducing violence by targeting known violent offenders over the festive period including domestic abuse offenders.

Visiting victims of domestic violence to provide reassurance and safety combating private space violence

Partnership working with street pastors, community wardens, licenced premises, MAIT, and specialist policing units such as dogs, Campaign Against Violence deployments, response policing, CID and community policing.

Increasing high visibility foot patrols and extending CCTV capabilities by using the mobile CCTV vehicle in antisocial behaviour hot spots in Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy keeping people on nights out safe in both town centres ​​​​​​​​Shopping Safety: Addressing a seasonal increase in shoplifting and dishonesty through targeting of known thieves in partnership with retail outlets and utilising the retail radio network between retail premises.

Increasing high visibility visits to licensed premises including off licences to target antisocial behaviour through public alcohol consumption.

There are numerous public events planned to communicate these Festive Safety messages across the Kingdom in the weeks running up to Christmas with local officers giving out safety advice and responding to community concerns. They are all highlighted on the Fife Police Facebook page and Twitter too.

December 1: Community safety stand at Kirkcaldy bus station.

December 6: Community safety stand at Glenrothes bus station.

December 7: Internet safety talk at St Brycedale Church, Kirkcaldy.

December 12: Community safety stand at the Kingdom Centre, Glenrothes.

December 16: Community safety stand at the Bank of Scotland, High Street, Kirkcaldy.