Offenders to clean Dunfermline streets
Published 12 Jul 2012 09:30
23 Comments
CITY-CENTRE chiefs will meet today (Thursday) to thrash out plans that will see low-level offenders sent out to clean up the streets of Dunfermline.
Groups of offenders will remove chewing gum from the pavements and pick up litter as part of a new initiative to make them repay communities for the damage they have done.
The community payback initiative has been developed by Fife Council's criminal justice social work team and is the first of its kind in Scotland.
Dunfermline Delivers, the city's Business Improvement District (BID) company, began a campaign to clean up the city centre last month and will now work together with the council on the venture.
Maggie Mitchell, chief executive of Dunfermline Delivers, said, "It's a terrific idea that will really help Dunfermline.
"We have already worked with volunteers to help clean the streets and this extra labour is going to be a big help towards that."
Dunfermline Delivers' 'Spruce Up for Summer' campaign was backed by the Press' own 'Dish the Dirt' drive and encouraged residents in the city to take pride in their surroundings and dish the dirt on anyone found dropping litter, chewing gum, cigarette butts or not cleaning up after their dog.
The new initiative has been praised by Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill.
It follows laws brought in which mean local communities can have a direct say on the type of work they want to see low-level offenders doing as part of their community payback sentences.
Mr MacAskill said, "The council and street cleaners do their best but finding the resources and labour required to return pavements to the condition the community expect is often a real struggle.
"We should be using these offenders as a resource to make improvements to local communities and as part of street-cleaning duties to remove rubbish and graffiti we'll now see them being put to good use."
The scheme has also received the backing of Dunfermline police's community inspector Phil Davison.
He said, "It's a great thing and I would support it for use anywhere across Dunfermline as it's a visible presence of people who have done wrong doing some right.
"It's all part of rehabilitating offenders and the community get something out of it as well."
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Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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jollymolly
93 posts
Jul 12, 10:56
Report commentI hope they put all of the rouge bankers and the corrupt MP's also on to the streets
and see them putting something back into the community.
If they refuse ( human rights )
bonuses, big pay off's, pension pots, all donations from them would be welcome.
Recommend?
Yes 23
No 7
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Dunfyresident
62 posts
Jul 12, 11:57
Report commentGood - time we saw people who have taken part in criminal activity actually pay something back to the community. However, if anyone has any particular vengence against criminals - will this put at risk the 'true' Fife Council workers who carry out work on the streets?
Recommend? Yes 4
No 3
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lydiapot1
118 posts
Jul 12, 12:29
Report commentDoes this include the Chief Constable of Fife Constaburglery if found guilty of the criminal charge currently winging its way through the judicial system?
Or does 'Horror Smash' as reported in one of the tabloids elevate this particular charge above the 'low-level offenders' status?
Recommend? Yes 23
No 2
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GrantStevenson
21 posts
Jul 12, 14:26
Report commentlydiapot1
Fife's Chief Constable Norma Graham didn't appear at court this week to answer her criminal charges; her lawyer successfully delayed the court case yet again.
This has been done so that she can retire next month with an unblemished record on full lump sum & pension, and then appear in court afterwards.
After all, we can't have a serving high-ranking officer convicted of causing a car crash, whilst on her mobile phone, now can we?????????
Recommend? Yes 23
No 1
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redrobin
284 posts
Jul 12, 15:27
Report commentIt has taken me in my inabilty to spell and string a sentence together according to others a wee while to respond to the above.
U r all spot on!
What do we pay for our sevices? certainly not offenders!..It already costs u and me money1
Yeah sure make them pay..but don't give them TV s...Blinds etc Do gooders are fine but make society a better place the right place to live a decent life stop blaming the council..stop blaming the government......take a long look in the mirror.
Erm as a wee birdie I don't have a long life span..GO AWAY U THIEFING MAGPIES!!
Recommend? Yes 4
No 6
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james57
4 posts
Jul 12, 16:39
Report commentA great plan to make them clean up. I hope its not just the council rubbing its hands at the thought of cheap labour.?????????
Recommend? Yes 6
No 0
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DunfermlineEast
137 posts
Jul 12, 20:17
Report commentMake them dress in pink overalls or naked.
Recommend? Yes 8
No 1
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maclam
303 posts
Jul 12, 22:56
Report commentconcerning norma graham the chief constable of fife case it should be noted that recent disclosures actually found that fife constabulary unbelievably employ 49 police officers who in fact have criminal convictions. also strange the dunfermline press failed to notify their readers about the released details of the case against her.
any way if convicted she might actually make a half decent street cleaner.
Recommend? Yes 12
No 0
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GrantStevenson
21 posts
Jul 13, 00:53
Report commentmaclam, I couldn't agree more.
Fife Constabulary are extremely keen to have this case hushed-up to avoid any possible embarrassment to the force before Graham retires next month, hence the lack of the 'Press (and most other newspapers) reporting on it.
As far as I am aware, only the Sun ran a very small and basic story yesterday about her not turning up to appear in court.
Recommend? Yes 8
No 0
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lydiapot1
118 posts
Jul 13, 06:49
Report commentI would offer this to any Fife Constabulary officers with criminal records. I will be their coat stand whilst the vomit is being swept up from our Town Centres.
If you were to look at a recent 'Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland' Procedure report (google PCCS, reference PCCS/00127/11/PF – FC), you will note a sum of approx. £600 went missing after being consficated from a man. It transpired that one of the Fife Constabulary officers had stolen the money from a safe in one of the police stations.
And also, the procedures with glaring errors in them e.g. Appropriate Adult procedure which references a Section Number that simply does not exist.
Despite all the gloss, there are many negatives.
Recommend? Yes 12
No 2
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B2theB
144 posts
Jul 13, 09:20
Report commentWow !
So the police aren't perfect.
What a shock. who knew, eh ?
Yes, it's not great that the people who are enforcing the law are also breaking it, but such is human nature.
Power corrupts. We've known that for millenia.
However, a few coppers with criminal records is the tip of the iceberg when compared to all the other ills which are currently plaguing society.
Anti social behaviour, violence, crime, drugs and alcohol, neds, poverty, lawlessness, disrespect
But, hey ho, you guys go after a few coppers f if makes you feel better. The rest of us will solve the real problems.
Recommend? Yes 10
No 10
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BobTheBuilder
111 posts
Jul 14, 21:30
Report commentI don't have a problem with a few bent coppers - what I do have a problem with is these same cobble shufflers quoting chapter and verse of the law to me, and do I realise that a,b and c is dangerous blah, blah when they are guilty of exactly the same offences themselves. Many's the time I've seen a police van on the double yellow with the driver merrily texting away. Next time I should take a snap on the phone in case it's them that pull me for the same thing.
Recommend? Yes 9
No 0
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maclam
303 posts
Jul 15, 11:52
Report commentthanks "B2theB" for your list of real problems which contains anti social behaviour,violence,crime,drugs and alcohol,neds,lawlessness and disrespect which in fact applies to the police mentioned in the comments about police officers employed by fife constabulary.
Recommend? Yes 4
No 1
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supersonic
217 posts
Jul 15, 12:33
Report commentShould get the people receiving jobseekers allowance helping them!
Recommend? Yes 2
No 1
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TheDEXExpress
109 posts
Jul 15, 13:27
Report commentI agree with B2theB that there are folk out there who like nothing better than having a go at the police, whether justified or not. And there is indeed plenty to get worked up about elsewhere in society.
However, many of the points made by folk above seem like fair comment. In particular, should Ms Graham be convicted - and she has not as yet, so should be given the benefit of the doubt until the process concludes - that will be a serious matter. I understand that she is already the first serving Chief Constable in Scotland to be prosecuted for an offence and I am not one of those who think that road traffic offences, which can sometimes have fatal consequences, are somehow not as serious as other offences. The police enforce the law and therefore should be whiter than white - and be seen to be so. That applies all the more to the Chief Constable, who has a leadership role in the organisation. The proper thing for her to have done having been charged would have been to step down temporarily on full pay until the legal process concluded. If she was found not guilty, she would then return to work with no blemish on her record. If not, then she would have no option but to resign. Having said that, Fife Constabulary have clearly investigated the matter professionally, despite the clear conflict of interest, otherwise a case would not have been brought at all. That is a positive.
Like others, I have been surprised that The Press has not questioned any of the press statements issued by Fife Constabulary on this matter. If I want to read press statements with no accompanying comment or analysis, I can just as easily access the Fife Constabulary website and get it from the horse's mouth. It seems that only The Press thinks that the Chief Constable's resignation - a matter of only a few months before the new national police force comes into being - is unrelated to the legal case. While I'm open to alternative explanations, on the face of it, that simply does not seem credible and GrantStevenson's analysis seems more likely.
There is going to be a great deal of uncertainty among Fife Constabulary employees in the lead up to the new unified force. And quite rightly so, as there will be many redundancies among support staff across Scotland, given that cost savings are one of the key drivers of this exercise. The Chief Constable should have remained in post in order to lead and support her staff through this difficult process. It seems odd to be retiring at this time.
Ms Graham has had a distinguished career, including the distinction of being Scotland's first female Chief Constable. I find it sad that her career is ending under a cloud in this way.
Recommend? Yes 9
No 1
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maclam
303 posts
Jul 15, 19:01
Report comment -
BobTheBuilder
111 posts
Jul 15, 19:10
Report commentDistinguished career or otherwise, if it is proven that she caused an accident whilst talking on a mobile phone she should be charged accordingly - the same way that any other citizen whether equally distinguished or sewer rat would have been. And somewhat quicker too.
Recommend? Yes 4
No 0
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lydiapot1
118 posts
Jul 15, 20:18
Report commentDistinguished career whilst working for Fife Constabulary? Questionable! I recall a few examples which may be the tip of the iceberg for this particular organisation.
a) The recent case of one of their detectives in the high court for falsifying evidence in a serious crime investigation. Resulting in grim consequence for the accused.
b) The case last year of a gentleman being removed dying from one of the local Police Station cells. This has been very hushed since.
c) The case of one of their officers stealing money from a police station safe.
d) The Chief Constable authorising their Appropriate Adult Procedure as fit for purpose whilst it has glaring mistake within. The consequence for the most vulnerable in our society can be very serious as their officers can be confused by what is proper procedure.
e) The Police Complaint Commissioner for Scotland this year finding that following a complaint about their officer’s actions in 2010, with respect to a vulnerable adult, that 3 out of 5 complaints were not handled properly.
f) And, the driving allegation.
I sincerely hope the other 7 Constabulary’s are better than this.
Recommend? Yes 3
No 1
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NotHappyJan
192 posts
Jul 16, 02:41
Report commentAll corrupt members of the Constabulary should be jailed. No if's, no but's no nothing's. The trust palced in them as upholders of the law should mean, when they break the law, they go directly to jail.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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BobTheBuilder
111 posts
Jul 16, 12:34
Report commentJail is perhaps a bit excessive, but if I would be fined and have points on my licence for talking on a mobile whilst driving (which I don't) then so should they. Everyone has important business that 'can't wait' sometimes, and being in the Police doesn't guarantee you can drive a vehicle one handed any better than professional drivers who drive trucks etc day in, day out.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 1
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alan2431
4 posts
Jul 16, 13:10
Report commentLets focus on the convicted offenders CC will be commented on, I'm sure at a later date.
Get these people concentrating on the mean streets of East Port and New Row, in fact we could ask the traffic wardens to supervise as they have obviously resolved all of the very dangerous selfish lazy drivers in that location and must be at a loose end.
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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stormxxx
132 posts
Jul 17, 04:11
Report commentWill any of the DP comments make a difference in anything that is bein talked about? NO Chance! Why even bother! corruption, corruption and em...more corruption an not just here!! 2012!! We aint all thick!!! God i hate Britain!! oops meant to be capital H then!!!!!!
Recommend? Yes 0
No 1
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bicyclebob
159 posts
Jul 19, 20:33
Report commentget people on benefits to do it,for a fee,yeah man
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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