Lighting Fixed

The lighting at the Park & Ride is now timed to come on earlier and go off later (to coincide with the time the first bus arrives in the morning and the last one departs at night). This follows on from the whole site being in darkness when shift workers were coming off/going on shift. Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “A number of people raised concerns about personal safety and the risk of having an accident as a result of the whole site being in darkness. Thankfully this had just been down to an error in the timer settings which has since been adjusted”.

Waiting Room To Re-Open

The waiting room at the Park & Ride was closed in March 2020 when the first lockdown commenced. It has not been re-opened since then. With the colder/wetter weather now upon us there have been concerns raised with Steve by Kingswells Community Council and a number of members of the public. 

Steve said, “The issue stems from there previously having been no formal arrangement for the facility to be opened and closed. This was being done pre-pandemic by Stagecoach drivers as a courtesy but that arrangement has since lapsed”.

“I have been in regular contact with council officers regarding this matter and I’m pleased to say that they are working on putting in place arrangements to re-open the waiting room. No firm date has been given but I am assured this will happen as soon as possible.”

“I will update everyone here and through my Facebook and Twitter pages as soon as I get confirmation of the re-opening date and the times of day the facility will be available and in use”.

Late Night Disturbances

Unfortunately there have been more reports of late night disturbances being caused by ‘boy racers’ at the Park & Ride to such an extent that people’s sleep is being disturbed. Steve said, “Police Scotland and Aberdeen City Council have both been made aware of this. Their advice is for residents who are experiencing these disturbances to report them when they are ongoing to Police Scotland on 101.

Steve said, ‘Although the police may not attend immediately or at all (if they are tied on on other call outs), the more calls they receive, preferably from a number of different people, the better this helps builds up their intelligence around these activities. Police Scotland prioritise their limited resources around an intelligence led model so the more intelligence they get, the more likely they are to target resources at an issue. Although these activities have been ongoing for some time, very few people have been reporting them to the police. I can’t stress how important it is to report these incidents as they happen, even if it does involve a lengthy wait to get through, otherwise nothing will change”.

Following a number of break-ins to sheds in the area, police are reminding residents to take some simple precautions to protect their property.

Make sure it is not easy for people to get into your rear garden. A hedge or fence two metres high is a good barrier. Fit a strong, lockable, high rear gate to stop a thief getting to the back of your home. Thieves don’t like gravel, it’s noisy to walk on. Don’t make it easy for a thief by allowing them to walk into your garden unchallenged.

Place your shed in your garden so you can clearly see the door and window of your shed from inside your home.

Like your home, it is important to keep your shed secure. Invest in a good lock or padlock and consider fitting reinforced hinges. Keep valuable garden equipment locked away and ensure it is marked with your postcode. It is worth considering fitting a battery-powered shed alarm,

Make sure the doors and panels of the shed are strong enough not to be kicked in or forced by bodily pressure. Fitting steel backing plates makes it more difficult to kick in or force doors and panels.

Deter “window shopping” by placing a screen, net curtain or even a bin bag over the inside of your shed’s windows. Fitting Perspex or laminated glass will offer good protection.

Make sure you lock ladders inside your shed or garage to stop a thief using them to reach an upstairs window.

Use a ground or wall anchor to secure your bike or other valuables in the shed. Lock valuables together to prevent them being easily removed.  Visibly and permanently marking your property helps identify it as yours and makes it less desirable for a thief.

The local playing field beside Kingswells School was in need of repair as a result of a sizeable dip having developed over time. Local children and their families raised some money to have the area professionally restored by landscape gardeners. The work was undertaken two or three weeks ago at a time when the field was not in use, so as to give the new grass the opportunity to get established.

Unfortunately the repaired area was purposely damaged within a day or two and this was repeated until it got to the point where the repair has been totally destroyed. Further acts of vandalism have resulted in damage to other parts of the field.

This does not appear to be random acts of vandalism but instead, a deliberate attempt to damage the playing field and to limit its usefulness. It is likely chemicals may have been used on the field, so please keep pets and children away from the area in the meantime.

These incidents are currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by Aberdeen City Council and Police Scotland.

A single point of contact has been set up so that residents can get through to the person who is co-ordinating the investigation. They can be contacted directly by email or by phoning 07843850974.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “If you have witnessed any unusual behaviour in the area over the past two or three weeks, no matter how insignificant you may consider it to be, please get in touch”.

“They are also actively gathering evidence relating to other similar incidents which have taken place in Kingswells over the past 10 years or more and are asking for anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward, including those who have previously given statements”.

“Because there is an ongoing investigation, I would ask residents not to make assumptions and not to name any possible suspects. Please do not share your thoughts on this mater online or anywhere else as this may prejudice the inquiry”.

“Your help is needed now, so if you have any information, even from a few years ago, I urge you to come forward. Please make use of the supplied contact details and help put a stop to these actions once and for all”.

Police Scotland have created this document to provide advice to Business and Home owners during these unprecedented times. 

Advice and information is changing daily as we navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, so please ensure you only take information from trusted sources. 

Please consider signing up for the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alert system to receive regular updates from the Police and partner agencies on what is happening in your area –

https://nwscotland.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) 

NCSC have launched the new Cyber Aware campaign promoting behaviours to mitigate cyber threat. The cross-governmental ‘Cyber Aware’ campaign, offers actionable advice for people to protect passwords, accounts and devices. You can find out more about what NCSC have launched recently here.https://www.ncsc.gov.uk  This includes new guidance for individuals and organisations using online video conferencing.

Closed Premises/Venues that have been temporarily closed:

• Test your alarm, ensure it is monitored and fully operational 
• Identify any vulnerable areas. Rectify these. 
• Ensure service doors are closed and locked when not in use  
• Make sure you have list of key holders who can be contacted in times of emergency. 
• Consider moving high value items into secured stockrooms and out of view
• Ensure keys to the premises or other venues are not left inside and are instead with dedicated key holders.
• Consider timer switches or ensure sufficient lighting is left on at the premises/surrounding area.
• Ensure there are no combustible materials left in the proximity of the building such as packaging – consider the risk of fire-raising 
• Review your CCTV to confirm it is operational, provides good quality images and is positioned to cover as much of the stores public and private areas. You may wish to consider a mobile phone app that allows connectivity and a vocal capacity to engage with any intruder 
• Ensure that no cash is retained on the premises overnight (consider placing a note on your premises stating that no cash or valuables are kept overnight) or store monies in a security accredited safe bolted to the floor 

Physical Protective Measures  

• Secure by Design products – use security rated products where possible.  
• Ensure all doors leading from public to staff arteries-loading areas etc are kept secure and monitored. – Laminated glass or security film that can be applied to existing glass to make it more resistant to a physical assault. Shutters and grilles, subject to planning regulations, may also be a consideration 
• An insurance rated safe should be bolted to the floor. Anti-tamper sensors can be fitted to set off an alarm if attacked 
• Consider use of anti-theft alarms on most desirable household item
• Fogging devices that activate as a result of an intruder activation may also be beneficial-you can’t steal what you can’t see

Targeting of works vans

• Best practice is to remove all valuables from any unoccupied work vehicle
• Vans are often targeted by thieves for the tools stored inside. If you have to leave tools in a van overnight, it’s a good idea to mark them clearly with your name / company name and address using paint pens and seal with a clear lacquer spray. 
• Alternatively, you can use a variety of other property marking systems. Items that are clearly marked are less desirable and more difficult to sell on
• Consider using a lockable cabinet within your van to store tools – a number of security rated products are available.
• Small cameras are also designed to record inside vehicles. 
• You can also take photographs of items of value, make a note of the serial numbers and consider registering them online at a property register site.

Securing Diesel in vehicles:

Ensure your vehicle is locked when unattended, consider installing anti-siphon devices.

OFTEC or the “Oil Firing Technical Association for the petroleum industry” offers advice and guidance for those who use and store oil at their premises.

There are certain rules and regulations that may apply to you and OFTEC will help clarify these for you. They can be reached at: www.oftec.org or by calling 0845 6585 080.

Building Sites

A building site with tools, materials, plants and other machinery lying about can be very inviting to a thief. The site can also be used as a route to break into adjacent premises. Here are a few simple tips to help keep your site more secure:

• Set up CCTV
• Fences or hoardings are effective and should be used whenever possible.
• Good security lighting
• Cash should not be kept on site when possible
• Machinery should be left in a well-lit part of the site with the keys removed.
• Fit wheel clamps and/or locking posts or consider an alarm.
• Park larger vehicles in front of access doors to prevent easy access.
• Security locks and ground fixings are great for extra security
• Keep a record of engine numbers chassis number, vehicle ID numbers etc.
• Mark all of your tools with a unique identification number, photograph them and 
  keep a record of it. 
• Store your tools in a secure area or take off site.
• Display a contact board outside the site at all times giving names and telephone numbers of staff who can easily be contacted to respond to any concerns of the police
• Take down scaffolds structure down.
• Stop unauthorised people from climbing up any structure by using sheet material, overhangs or other methods
• If necessary use scaffolding alarms.

Around your home

• Make sure you lock your home – this includes when you go to bed.
• Always set alarms and use security devices whenever possible.
• Also ensure you lock outbuildings, garages & sheds 
• Remove keys from the internal locks of doors and, along with any other keys, store them out of sight.
• Make sure you utilise window locks and remove the keys from the locks and the area around the window.
• Ensure there is sufficient lighting around your home by using low level dusk to dawn lighting and also PIR (movement detection) lighting.  
• Make sure your home looks occupied by using timer switches especially as the dark evenings approach.
• Close blinds when appropriate to ensure there is no line of sight into your home.
• Never leave anything of value in your garden.
• Do not leave items (spades, ladders, etc.) insecure that could be used top effect unauthorised entry into your home, vehicle or outbuilding.
• Lock all vehicles and keep the keys out of general view in your locked house. 
• Never leave anything in sight in your car and remove all valuable items completely
• Park your car in a well-lit location and if possible have it the subject of movement detection lighting. 
• Make sure you lock your garage, shed or outbuilding.
• All items in the garage shed or outbuilding which are of value or easily moved should be secured to the fabric of the building or other similar items.
• Any windows in the garage shed or outbuilding should be covered by a blind or a curtain and if light is not a major necessity they should be boarded up.
• Where up and over garage doors are used consider installing bolts and padlocks at the bottom of each side of the door.  Padlocks can also be put through the runner rails at the top of the doors.

The Safer Communities, Safer Scotland booklet aims to bring together key security and safety advice in a handy and very usable A5 booklet.

It is the product of a wider Building Safer Communities partnership and contains a wide range of contributions from organisations such as Police Scotland, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, amongst others. It is free to download at 

https://www.neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk/security-advice/our-safer-scotland-booklet/home

Further information can be found here:

https://www.securedbydesign.com/

https://www.sbrcentre.co.uk/

www.scotland.police.uk                                              

GREC are running a hate crime awareness campaign from 14 October to 17 November, to help people understand what hate crime is, how to report it, what support is available and how to access it.

The main element of the campaign is a poster – see below. Can you please share this far and wide?

They also want to get the message into as many locations as possible. If you’d like to help with this, please stop by the GREC office at 41 Union Street to pick up some posters – there are A3, A4 and postcard size versions available. They are open Monday to Friday, 10am – 4pm. If you want a large batch (20+ posters) they can deliver to locations in Aberdeen.

And if you see the poster when you’re out and about, please take a photo and share on social media! On Twitter they are @GREC2015, and on Facebook it’s GrampianREC.

Other activities taking place throughout the month will be information and awareness sessions with community groups, a survey to gain a better understanding of the true extent of hate crime and prejudice in Aberdeen, a training session for organisations to become hate crime reporting centres, and the launch of GREC’s Anne Frank Awards 2017-2018. If you want to get involved with any of these, please get in touch with GREC directly.

Police Scotland’s North East Division covers rural and urban areas in Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City.

Within the Division the community policing teams are supported by dedicated Crime Reduction Officers who assist them in their work to promote crime reduction and progress prevention opportunities which we see as key to reducing crime and antisocial behaviour in your area.

Whilst crime reduction advice is regularly provided to individuals who raise a specific query, an exciting new innovation called Neighbourhood Alert now affords Police Scotland the opportunity to send e-mail messages relating to local crime trends and containing crime prevention advice quickly and effectively to a wide audience, but which can be targeted to particular streets or communities if required.

Any individual can sign-up to receive these e-mail messages, either for themselves or their community group, and the sign-up process allows the recipient to specify the type of information that they are interested in and from what source. Neighbourhood Watch Scotland, who coordinate this resource, work with a range of partners in the public sector to provide information not only on crime but also on matters of community safety and resilience.

These messages are intended to inform the public and to keep them abreast of information which will assist them in keeping themselves, their families and their properties safe. For this reason, we will only send out messages if we feel it is important that the public receive the information and are then able to use it effectively in their daily lives.

Please take the opportunity to sign-up for Neighbourhood Alert e-mail messages and encourage your family, friends and neighbours to do the same. Whilst the number of subscribers is constantly growing, the more people who sign-up to receive these alerts, which we always try to send timeously, the more effective these messages will become as they allow communities to become better informed and make better decisions.

There is no requirement to join or set up a Neighbourhood Watch, simply follow the link below to the registration instructions. By signing up you control your personal information, contact details and also decide what information providers who want to receive Alerts from.

https://member-registration.neighbourhoodalert.co.uk/91/Join

Aberdeen’s favourite lollipop lady has done it again. Following on from winning Aberdeen City Council’s “People’s Champion” in 2013, Pearl has now won a top national award.

Pearl Rendall is known to many as Kingsford School’s lollipop lady. She’s been keeping our children, and their parents before them, safe for well over 30 years and yesterday she won the “School Crossing Patroller Of The Year” award for Scotland.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “Finally we see an ordinary hard working person being given the recognition she deserves for her hard work and community spirit. Personally I feel there’s far too little heed given to the dedication shown by ordinary folk who make a real difference in their communities”.

“I’ve known Pearl for a number of years and she crosses my son (above) every day on his way to school. She teaches road safety, awareness of danger, respect for others and so much more. She even cheers up my grumpy face on a Monday morning! This is someone who takes a genuine interest in the kids and their parents, not to mention the grandparents and other local folk too”.

“Well done Pearl, nobody deserves this more than you do”.

As you may have seen in the press, plans have been approved to close fire and police control rooms and service centres across Scotland. All three of the facilities in Aberdeen will close, meaning that every 999 or 101 call will now be diverted to the Central Belt or Dundee.

This prompted demonstrations from devastated staff, anger at the Parliament, and caused many of my constituents to get in touch with me.

Hundreds of talented and dedicated staff will lose their jobs. They have played an integral role in saving the lives of many people. Their knowledge of our area, built up through decades’ worth of service and once valued and nurtured, will be lost.

This shows the uncompromising nature of the SNP’s obsession with centralisation. It removed any opportunity for local people to object, meaning the appeals of local communities fell on deaf ears. Local authorities, once integral to the decision-making process, tell me they found out about the plans on the news. Coupled with the fact that Police Scotland refused to hold a public consultation because it considered the issues too complicated for the public to come to an informed opinion on, this shows a worrying disregard for the views of local communities.

Local SNP representatives backed the Justice Secretary to the hilt when he established single police and fire services, blithely dismissing our warnings that it would lead to such closures. It is no surprise therefore that the sincerity of their apparent dismay at the decision to shut our control rooms is being questioned.

Alison McInnes OBE, MSP for North East Scotland

There have been reports of workmen cold calling and offering to clean or seal driveways. This has been in the Sheddocksley area but may spread elsewhere. Whilst this nothing new, this year the workmen are particularly persistent, often calling on the same address three or four times over a couple of days.

They tend to be dressed in reflective jackets and speak with an Irish accent. Residents have stated that a polite refusal is often insufficient with some workmen having to be told several times that their services were not required. In couple of instances a pickup type vehicle was being driven slowly up the street with the driver also wearing a reflective jacket and closely watching the activities of his colleagues.

Local Councillor Steve Delaney said, “I have received a report of an incident where one of these workmen became confrontational. I would suggest that residents do not engage the services of unknown workmen to carry out work for them regardless of price. Unless you use a reputable firm there is no guarantee of quality and there is no redress if things go wrong after the workmen have moved on. I have passed more detailed information to both Trading Standards and Grampian Police. My advice is to be wary about opening your door to workmen in reflective jackets over the next few weeks unless you are expecting them.”