Police column '“ tackling shoplifting and drugs

Sergeant Jimmy Adamson and I attended the Kirkcaldy area committee to provide an update on our activity. We attend the committee twice a year so that local councillors can see how we are performing and have the opportunity to scrutinise what we do.

Most of the questioning centred on the increase in thefts by shoplifting we have experienced and the significant seizures of drugs throughout the area.

I was able to tell them that we are implementing a number of measures that will hopefully lead to a reduction in shoplifting in the coming months.

With regard to drugs the councillors recognised that we rely on the local community to provide us with information that helps us build up a picture of the activities of drug dealers.

I also emailed our councillors to highlight a further considerable seizure in our area where a real team effort with officers from the divisions proactive team, local response, community and CID led to the recovery of almost two kilos of heroin, which has a potential street value of £184,630.00.

Three men and two women appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court in relation to these offences. Again, the community played their part is assisting us with the intelligence, which ultimately means that a significant quantity of heroin has been seized before it could be further distributed in our communities.

If you have information or suspect drug dealing in your area then please contact us either by 101 or Crimestoppers on 0845 555 111. You are able to remain anonymous if you prefer.

On a different note, as you would expect, the team works closely with partners at Fife Council, fire, NHS, education and the voluntary sector to resolve issues that arise in the community.

I form part of the Kirkcaldy area leadership team, along with managers from the above services, and one of our current priorities is to devise a local plan for Kirkcaldy following the publication of the ‘Plan for Fife’ by Fife Council earlier this year.

We know that Kirkcaldy has some great things going on, but we also know that not everyone is doing as well as they could be. To that end we want to hear from you about what you love about Kirkcaldy and the area you live in and what you think needs to be improved. The intention is to map what we know from the data each of our services hold against what local people are telling us, to help us identify the ambitions for the area.

A short questionnaire will go online that you can access via Our.fife.scot/Kirkcaldy, printed copies will also be available from the services at various locations. Please get involved and help shape your community’s future.

As always, if you have any issue you would like your community team to look into or assist with, you can contact us by phone on 101 or direct via the Community Policing team mailbox for your ward.