Report to the People
21st February 2005
Hitting the Dealers Where it Hurts
The enthusiasm of local residents when,
along with David Cairns and the police, I went to the Mallard Bowl to back
Councillor McKenzie’s drive to re-start the area’s Neighbourhood Watch
scheme was heartening. It’s good
to know that a community has the confidence to fight back against crime.
But
not everywhere is so lucky. When,
the next day, I was in the East End with police officers and the antisocial
behaviour team, one of the many issues raised was the intimidation which stops
the decent majority reporting offences.
A
lot of this crime and intimidation is down, of course, to drugs.
And, when you see the violence dealers mete out to each other, can you
blame anyone for being afraid to come forward?
A
dealer in your street ruins the whole area.
Before you know it, you have addicts hanging about at all hours, waiting
to get a fix or stealing to pay for it. No-one
needs to put up with that.
That’s
why Jack McConnell is right to urge us to report dealers anonymously by calling
Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Then,
thanks to the Proceeds of Crime Act, their ill-gotten gains can be invested back
into the communities they tried to destroy.
So
think of these dealers, not as the reprehensible parasites that they are, but as
cash machines in tracksuits, ready to dispense money where it’s needed most.
All you need to do is key in the right number – 0800
555111.
Back to Current Reports to the People
[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Report to the People ] [ Interact ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]
[ Copyright ] [ Directgov ] [ Scottish Parliament ]