COMMUNITIES in Argyll and Bute have been urged to share their intelligence on crime in their areas with police in a new campaign.
Officers are about to launch an initiative with Crimestoppers which will enable information to be given anonymously. The campaign will go live on Friday, February 9.
Speaking to community figures, DI Michael Lochrie spoke of hope that the campaign would encourage as much public engagement as possible.
He gave a presentation at a meeting of Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond community planning group on Monday, February 2.
The same presentation was due to be given to Bute and Cowal community planning group the next day, but the inspector submitted apologies. It is on the agenda for Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands community planning group on Wednesday, February 4.
DI Lochrie said: “What we are hoping to do, and launching on February 9, is a campaign with Crimestoppers. Our biggest source of intelligence is what is going on in communities.
“The campaign will run for four weeks with a focus on organised crime, which might be a phrase you see in TV shows, but what does it actually mean?
“It relates to drugs and matters that impact families, communities and relationships. Sometimes there can even be victimless crimes. It is quite a key issue in terms of the impact it has on an individual.
“We will also be online through social media and a QR code. Crimestoppers is independent to Police Scotland and they will receive information through members of the community to transition it to ourselves.
“We will get an understanding in each of our towns of what is the biggest impact, and that will allow us to come up with strategies.
“It is entirely anonymous, which is a massive thing, because a lot of people want to talk about issues, but there are fears of repercussions.
“This gives them the opportunity to tell us what is going on. We want as much intelligence in our system as possible.
“The biggest thing is raising awareness of the anonymity. The campaign will run beyond four weeks, but this is the real opportunity to push the message.”
