As a result of an ongoing initiative to combat the problem, officials have reported a notable decline in antisocial behavior in the Levenmouth area.
Improving Levenmouth Together was launched in 2019 to address anti-social behavior, deliberate fire-making and off-road motorcycles, after the surge in reports on these topics the previous year.
Police Scotland realized that this was having a significant impact on the people living in the area, and officials and elected members of the Fife Council Local Area Committee reached out to a number of partners from the public, private and third sector for a multi-agency sweep initiate approach to solving the problem.
It was agreed that between April 1st and October 31st of each year two police officers would be used to monitor anti-social behavior.
The project has evolved in 2021 to put a greater focus on working with young people in the area to prevent them from getting involved in crime and to distract them towards a positive goal.
Prevention, intervention and distraction are now the focus of the project, and a number of initiatives were launched in 2021 to provide young people with resources and an environment to thrive in the community. In addition, Police Scotland officials work closely with Levenmouth Academy and third sector organizations to enable young people to achieve positive goals through the acquisition of skills and life skills.
It is hoped that this distracting approach will inspire a generation of young people to resist the temptation to engage in antisocial behavior and make positive life choices.
Inspector Paul Gillespie, Levenmouth Community Inspector, said: “The improvement of Levenmouth Together has evolved since its inception and includes diversion projects that allow young people from all backgrounds to flourish.
“I am grateful for the support of the Fife Council Local Area Committee and our partners in supporting our goals. My goal is to ensure that Police Scotland officials are at the heart of the Levenmouth community, and it is recognized that our local officials are committed to improving the lives and well-being of young people across the region.
“Levenmouth is an exciting place to live, work and visit right now. With the introduction of the new industry and the railway line in the coming years, the opportunities for young people will grow. It is important that we work with our partner network to enable young people to develop.
“Sergeant Craig Fyall and his team of community officials work tirelessly to ensure that the people of Levenmouth can enjoy a safe environment. The Improving Levenmouth Together project has been an incredible success and we want to build a legacy in the community over the long term. “
Councilor Ken Caldwell, Levenmouth Area Committee convener, said, “The Levenmouth Together improvement is a fantastic project that came about after many complaints from councilors across Levenmouth. The idea of funding police officers was very innovative and has certainly paid off.
“Levenmouth has a reputation for working collaboratively and this has been key to the development and success of the project. I am very pleased that we are moving from an enforcement option to an intervention and diversion strategy. This was always the plan, but difficult to implement due to the Covid restrictions.
“I would like to thank Inspector Gillespie and Sergeant Fyall and their team for their great work with our communities and all partners involved for their excellent contributions.”
The Improving Levenmouth Together program in 2021 resulted in:
• 36 vehicle confiscations
• 311 accused in connection with anti-social behavior and road traffic offenses.
• Five drug search warrants were carried out.
• Four stolen vehicles recovered.
In addition, calls to the Scottish Police regarding off-road motorcycles decreased by 90% from 891 in 2018 to 85 over the same period in 2021.
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