A CRACKDOWN on late-night antisocial behaviour has been credited with a 21 per cent drop in calls to the police about nuisance youths.
Neighbourhood Action Units, run by council-funded police officers, were set up across the city earlier this year to help improve local policing.
The new units are made up of 102 officers, with nearly £4 million spent on an intelligence-led approac
h to community work. Shift patterns were realigned to ensure that on a Friday and Saturday night, when demand is highest, at least half of all available officers are working.
Figures published today show that the local force received 8543 calls about youth behaviour between April and July last year. During the same period this year, that figure fell to 6758.
Councillor Paul Edie, Edinburgh's community safety leader, said: "There's no doubt that the Neighbourhood Action Units are proving to be a highly visible, reassuring presence in our communities.
"They have brought about a drop in calls about youth behaviour by engaging with young people and targeting anti-social behaviour where it occurs.
"There has been excellent feedback from local residents across the city, with people telling us they feel safer thanks to the action units."
The seven neighbourhood area police teams were established with 84 council-funded officers, who previously worked in the Capital's safer communities units and youth action teams.
There are also around 20 officers based in the city centre, and the scheme involves officers and environmental wardens patrolling together for the first time.
The city council pays £2.7m each year towards the initiative, with around £1m coming from Lothian and Borders Police.
The action units were today also credited with a 19.3 per cent drop in "Group 1-5" crimes, which include rape, burglary, arson and vandalism.
Chief Superintendent Colin Campbell said: "Crime prevention is a core remit of the officers and they invest much time in fostering positive relationships with local communities and developing diversionary activities.
"There is no doubt that Edinburgh is a safer city because of Neighbourhood Action Unit efforts."
In recent months, the teams have been involved in patrols at lunchtimes near schools, have cracked down on underage drinking around Corstorphine Hill, have seized mini-motorbikes, and dispersed youths from Hunter Square and Bread Street.
The full article contains 389 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
