Area commander chief inspector Mark Lundie pledged to continue to focus on the top concerns of people in the region. Violence, antisocial behaviour, road safety, and drug supply are still top on the agenda for 2015. He told the Reporter how each of these areas has seen improvements in the last year due to efforts by local cops. Chief Inspector Lundie said: “Ultimately, we deal with the risks and threats facing the people of Dumbarton and the rest of the region every day.

The biggest concerns in general are violence, road safety, antisocial behaviour, and drug supply. Drug supply is the divisional priority. “We’ve selected each of these through a series of public consultations throughout the six policing wards of West Dunbartonshire, we have listened to what members of the public and elected representatives have said. “In each one of our priorities we have seen improvements since last year.” Chief Inspector Lundie, an officer of 21 years, says he did not yet have access to figures of crimes that have not improved in 2014/2015. But he told how the main campaigns have seen great success in West Dunbartonshire according to police statistics.

The police’s main drive in the region is drug supply, and they have been trying to tackle it head on. Since last April, drug busts have increased by 42.2 per cent and a total of 54 people have been charged. The other three concerns, antisocial behaviour, violence and road safety have also seen glowing report cards. Complaints of antisocial behaviour have decreased by 13.4 per cent, with 1,002 less calls being made.

In the same period, complaints of disorder have gone down by 16.5 per cent, which is 982 fewer calls. Road safety has improved in the last year with road deaths reducing from three to one and serious injuries from 29 to 27. The area commander went through a number of measures being taken to fight crime in each of these categories. However, no information could be provided on the areas of crime that have not seen improvement since these statistics have yet to be collated for consumption by the press. Another area which has been a focus in the last year has been dishonesty, which sparked Operation Digraph.

This operation is designed to catch out rogue traders and bogus callers, who exploit vulnerable civilians. Regarding the supply of drugs to Dumbarton there has been a noticeable number of arrests made recently.

When it comes to busting drug dealers Chief Inspector Lundie said they rely on multiple forms of intelligence. He said: “We get to drug dealers through our intelligence, members of the public phoning in, housing officers or anyone passing by. We get our information through a variety of sources, and then we gather evidence to be granted a warrant to search the property.” Speaking about spates of house break-ins in and around the Vale, Chief Inspector Lundie said: “If there is a particular spate, we have analysts who can profile locations. It’s intelligent deployment. We do try and focus our resources at the right time.

They do come in spates, and we do have people that have been arrested. We have CID who focus their attention on known house breakers. We take it extremely seriously.”