Justice committee to see community policing in operation around Scotland

London, 14 April/GNN/ -- News Release issued by The Scottish Parliament on 14 April 2008 Community policing across Scotland comes under the spotlight during April and May as the Scottish Parliament

At the conclusion of the Justice Committee's recent inquiry into the effective
use of police resources, the Committee expressed concern at the absence of a
commonly agreed definition and approach to community policing in Scotland. A
commitment was then made to carry out a second phase inquiry to examine in
more detail how effectively community policing is currently being delivered.

To gain a better understanding of how community policing varies across
Scotland the Committee will witness its delivery in Dundee, the Scottish
Borders and in the areas served by Central Scotland Police and by the North
Lanarkshire Division of Strathclyde Police.

Committee Convener Bill Aitken MSP said:

"It is important that we see community policing in operation first-hand and
understand how the delivery of community policing varies. We want to know
what is good about community policing in Scotland and what can be improved
upon. Experiencing this for ourselves will help us when we come to take
evidence from witnesses later on in the year."

Any members of the media interested in covering this event should contact
Ann Donald on 0131 348 5605

Background information
The Committee's first visit will be on Tuesday 15 April to Dundee where they
hope to gain an insight into how Tayside Police delivers community policing and
the role of community wardens in providing a service to the people of Dundee.

The morning will be spent with Police Community Liaison Teams in Fintry,
Broughty Ferry, Lochee and Whitfield and the afternoon at the Community
Safety Base, Kirkton with Community Wardens.

Committee members attending the visit will be:
* Bill Aitken MSP (Convener)
* Nigel Don MSP
* Margaret Smith MSP

Future visits
The Committee's next visit will be to Central Scotland Police in Stirling
and Falkirk on 28 April where Members will hear about their modernisation
agenda and how this impacts on community policing.

On 6 May the Committee will visit the Scottish Borders and see how community
policing is delivered in a more rural context.
The Committee will conclude their visits in Motherwell on 19 May to see how
community policing is being delivered there as well as hearing about the
delivery of community policing by Strathclyde Police more generally.

The contact for members of the media is:
Ann Donald: 0131 348 5605
E-mail: ann.donald@scottish.parliament.uk
RNID TypeTalk calls welcome

For specific committee information contact:
Euan Donald: 0131 348 5047
Email: euan.donald@scottish.parliament.uk
RNID TypeTalk: 18001 0131 348 5407

For public information enquiries contact: 0131 348 5000
For general enquiries: contact: 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk

Source: Scottish Parliament

2008-04-14 19:53:29 0335492 PRNEWSWIRE