PRESS RELEASE

A national police crackdown on gang violence has proved a success, with more than 7400 potential violent troublemakers stopped and searched in just over a month.

Officers carried out 7485 gang / group related stop searches across Scotland as part of the Communities Working With Collective Violence initiative.

The initiative, which addresses everything from gang/group violence to general public disorder through a combination of hard-edged enforcement, attitudinal change programmes and diversionary activities, is the final phase in Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign for 2007 / 2008, coordinated by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU).

Key aims of the phase are to build on current work and develop more methods of tackling problems of group disorder which can be put into practice long term.

As part of the programme of diversionary activity, 12,681 youths have so far taken part in a variety of diversionary activities, ranging from sports to music, while 6407 have participated in programmes to raise awareness of the dangers of being in a gang. A further 500 will undergo attitudinal change programmes as a result of additional funding provided by Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy McKay, Safer Scotland coordinator, said:
“These figures are encouraging and show the commitment of all forces across Scotland to making our streets safer. We know gang membership encourages dangerous behaviour which creates a sense of division, distrust and fear in communities. People living in these areas tell us their streets are blighted by gangs. Parents tell us they need support to help change their kids’ attitudes towards gang lifestyles. Gang members justify their behaviour by claiming there is little to do. That is why we have launched a three pronged attack on the problem, cracking down on those committing violence through hard edged enforcement and trying to prevent future violent incidents through attitudinal change programmes and diversionary activities – an approach that is paying dividends.”

And he pledged that the crackdown on violence would continue through the Safer Scotland campaign 2008 / 2009, starting with a phase focusing on weapons which began on Monday 21 April.

“We should be under no illusion that the problem of violence will stop overnight and we cannot rest on our laurels. By building on the work we have done, we can make inroads into making our communities safer for everyone.”
“There will be no let up. We see this as core business and we are determined to tackle it.”

The Collective Violence phase consolidated the work carried out in the knives and alcohol phases of the 07/08 campaign. Over 700 weapons (including knives) were seized during the Collective Violence phase, in addition to the 2200 knives and other weapons seized during the Weapons phase of the campaign in October last year. In addition, alcohol has been confiscated from more than 1080 underage drinkers during the Collective Violence phase, in addition to the 415 stopped under December’s Alcohol phase.

DCI McKay said:
“Alcohol and knives are key elements in gang and group violence, which is why we have redoubled our efforts to clampdown on these factors during this phase of the campaign. Removing them means reducing the risk of violence occurring in the first place.

“However, whenever and wherever violence does occur, we will tackle it. Those who take part in recreational violence should be fully aware that this is not acceptable behaviour and we will come after them.”