Today Tuesday 17 May 2016 the Inspection Report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland into local policing in the Dumfries and Galloway Division of Police Scotland will was published.
Chief Superintendent Gary Ritchie, Local Policing Commander for the Dumfries and Galloway Division, said –
“I welcome the HMICS Inspection of Local Policing in Dumfries and Galloway which clearly acknowledges the ‘positive progress’ being made to deliver the local policing plan. The report recognises that the Dumfries and Galloway area has one of the lowest crime rates in Scotland whilst having the highest detection rate of all the Scottish police divisions.
“In addition, the report identifies a number of local examples of good practice, such as our Mature Driving Scheme, which promotes road safety and supports older people to lead an active and independent life and our use of a Virtual Operational Support Team, to communicate ‘live time’ information for the public during emergency situations such as the recent episodes of severe weather. The amount of work carried out in local schools to support initiatives such an ‘Little World’, ‘Big World’ and ‘Do The Right Thing’ have also been identified as areas of good practice for the division. We were proud to work with our partners in the local council, health, education and other agencies to deliver these schemes and we’re proud of the assistance they have provided to the most vulnerable people in our communities and during some of the most difficult situations we have faced together recently. We will continue to be innovative and creative in our approach to make sure that people get the service they need when they need it.
“I would like to record my thanks to everyone who contributed to the inspection process, including local officers and staff, colleagues in partner agencies, local elected representatives and members of the community. The report serves as a strong example of what can be achieved when local agencies and communities share the commitment and work hard together to improve the quality of life of an area.”
Chair of the Police, Fire and Rescue Sub-committee, Councillor John Syme, said “Keeping our Communities safe is one of our Council’s Commitments. This excellent report about local policing provides evidence that that Dumfries and Galloway is one of the safest places in Scotland to live.
Dumfries and Galloway Council has an excellent relationship with the Dumfries and Galloway Police Division, through our scrutiny of their performance and our involvement in their continuous improvement group. We work together to address local issues and find solutions that provide the best outcomes for our communities. I am pleased that this joint approach has been highlighted as best practice within the report.
We very much value the role the Dumfries and Galloway Police Division have in our communities and we look forward to sharing our best practice with other police divisions and local authorities across Scotland.”
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