Operation Respect

Highland News & Media

Police Scotland launch their Operation Respect this festive season.

Transcript

00:00 I'm Inspector David McAlpine based at Burnet Road Police Station in Inverness Area Command.

00:05 The Stand In initiative for generally that started off in the Inverness City Centre and

00:11 it's a collaboration between a number of multi-agencies.

00:16 Fire and Rescue, Scots Ambulance Service, Highland Council, BID, the third sector parties,

00:24 Street Pastors, Nike's line this year are getting involved which is a great thing to have.

00:30 We are trying to cut down on any antisocial behaviour with the festive period there's

00:34 a lot of parties so we have excessive drinking that can lead to disorder, antisocial behaviour.

00:42 So it's just to try and make sure that everyone has an enjoyable safe experience during the

00:46 festive period and with our partner organisations it's not always a time for joy for people

00:53 so we have for example Nike's line and Street Pastors that can obviously offer help and

00:58 assistance for those who find it a little bit more difficult at this time of year.

01:02 City Centre is going to take a large part of the focus.

01:05 We will be having cycle patrols in other areas so down the Merkinch area, Dalney, Hilton

01:13 we're going to hopefully try and have some cycle patrols just for reassurance and again

01:18 people maybe walking home from a night out if you have that issue it could be police

01:23 in the area just so that if they do have any issues with that they can have some contact

01:28 with them and highlight anything that they need to know.

01:32 I'm Mark Hadfield I'm the operations manager for Inverness Street Pastors.

01:36 And I'm Ross Tiffin and I coordinate patrols.

01:40 We work with all the partner agencies but our aim really over the festive season is

01:45 to keep people safe and feeling comfortable on the streets and to help those who perhaps

01:50 are not in a position to help themselves at that moment.

01:53 I'm Emily Stokes, I'm the chief executive officer of Nike's line.

01:57 So operation respect is really about keeping people safe around the festive period and

02:03 making sure that people know about the support that's available out there.

02:06 For Nike's line it's key that everybody knows that there is support available if

02:11 they're struggling with their mental health, if things become a little bit difficult for

02:15 them around this time of year, if they're anxious, if things just escalate at this time

02:20 of year for them personally or within their family or friends.

02:23 Because it is an extremely difficult time of the year for many people and it's been

02:29 a tough few years as well financially for lots of people so we want people to know that

02:34 we are open, we are there, our check sign is available, we do have appointments for

02:38 face to face or online if that would help or call back.

02:42 So for us it's just important for everyone to know that we're part of this as well

02:46 and we are available.

02:47 My name is Iain Brown, I'm the City and Police Area Leader and this is a really good day

02:52 for us as a country.

02:54 The key is it's all partners coming together to make anyone going out over the Christmas

03:01 period, New Year period safer.

03:03 So parents when they're maybe in their first year, their kids are actually the age they

03:07 can go out, they'll go out knowing fine there's enough people there, enough people

03:12 experts, they'll be safe and will be looked after and they won't get home.

03:16 Why was this operation Respect initiated?

03:20 I think again just because you always feel there's a lot of trouble, always see alcohol

03:25 and drugs etc at this time of year and we know fine it is the busiest time of year.

03:30 Co-ordinations, hospitality, drugs, it's just again it's keeping people safe so they

03:37 can go out and they're not going to expect any trouble, they should go out safe, have

03:41 a really good time.

03:42 It's a TR, it's initially a TR service with the police, psychiatric nurse and paramedic

03:51 and also the street pastors involved and they'll be able to signpost you to the right service

03:57 for any reason.

03:59 All that for instance.

04:01 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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