FIFE'S police chief has admitted officers cannot be "on every street corner" to protect women and has pledged to continue with efforts to educate local men and boys about violence towards females.

Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan said their priority in the coming months would be female safety.

"Some key things for myself over the next six to 12 months is the commencement again of the night-time economy," he said. "A priority for us – as it always has been and we will be looking to enhance it – is female safety.

"We are all acutely aware of concerns out there just now. We have been doing a lot of work over the last year to engage with women's groups predominantly.

"Females are overwhelmingly the victim of male behaviours in this. We are looking to engage with women's groups and look at what else police can do to offer support and safety to women when out and about."

As well as targeting women's groups, Chief Superintendent McEwan told members of Fife Council's environment and protective services sub committee that they would be speaking to groups of boys and men to help get their message across.

"We are trying to push and educate even further because it is not appropriate just to make streets safe to have a police officer on every corner because the reality is we cannot have a police officer on every corner," he said.

"A big part is trying to push education to the next generation of boys and to men out there just now as to what is acceptable. It is an important part of equality and diversity work for the year ahead.

"We actually have had quite significant discussions – we have been hampered slightly during the COVID pandemic as access has been limited – with sport development officers, Fife Council and local sporting bodies who operate in our environment who have young men or boys and to try and educate them about behaviours.

"We have had a lot of engagement with St Andrews University and local colleges to try and educate the young men out there as to what is acceptable and what is definitely not acceptable."

Dunfermline Central councillor Jean Hall Muir welcomed the efforts being made and suggested sports teams could be a "positive outlet" for police to carry out their education programme.

She added: "I am very pleased that you are in contact with women's groups to tell them about how the police can make them more safe, both feeling safe and being safe."