TWO police officers from West Dunbartonshire have been recognised at an awards ceremony for setting up a project to raise awareness of dementia and gain a better understanding of people living with the condition in the community.

Safer Communities Officers PC Colin MacMillan and PC Brian Marsland scooped this year’s Equality Award as well as being personally selected by Philip Gormley to collect the Chief Constable’s Award.

The Scottish Policing Excellence Awards took place on Friday 27 January 2017 at the Scottish Police College in Tulliallan.

PCs MacMillan and Marsland came up with the idea after noticing a rise in the number of incidents officers were attending in the community that involved people with dementia.

The aim was to educate officers and members of the public about the condition so they are able to assist an individual with dementia if they are at risk.

Constable Colin MacMillan said they came up with the idea on the drive home from last year’s Excellence Awards.

He said: "Brian and I were driving back from the awards and we were talking about all the incredible things our fellow officers had achieved that year.

"It was so inspiring and definitely made us want to do something that would have a positive impact in our community.

"We’d noticed a rise in the number of dementia related incidents that officers were being called to in West Dunbartonshire and thought it would be really useful if we had a better understanding of the condition.

"We worked together with Alzheimer Scotland to develop a social media campaign as well as organising awareness inputs for more than 100 officers across West Dunbartonshire.

"The reaction to the campaign has been fantastic, both among officers and members of the public.

"It was a real team effort, and absolutely no funding went into the campaign – it was just people giving up their own time for a great cause."

The awareness sessions for officers were delivered throughout the month of April last year by Fiona Kane, an advisor from Alzheimer Scotland.

A group of local Police Scotland Youth Volunteers also took part in a ‘Dementia Friends’ session.

A series of videos were also developed as part of a social media campaign and featured a retired police officer living with dementia and a serving police officer who cared for his mother who had the condition.

Another video featured the DAWDLE Group (Dementia Awareness West Dunbartonshire Learning and Engagement), which consists of people who have been diagnosed with dementia who meet and socialise together as well as attending various places to raise awareness.

Constable Brian Marsland has personal experience of dementia having cared for his mother, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2012, and sadly passed away two years later.

He said: "I was obviously very aware of the condition because of my experience with my mum and I was always very open about it at work.

"Colin and I thought that this was a great opportunity to raise awareness of the condition as well as helping officers understand how they can best respond to incidents involving people with dementia.

"The input sessions delivered by Alzheimer Scotland were phenomenal and gave the officers a better knowledge of the condition and how it can affect people in different ways.

"For example, people with dementia can sometimes appear violent or intoxicated and the session highlighted the importance of not making assumptions that they are behaving in a criminal manner.

"It also provided lots of useful advice on how to deal with people who have the condition and officers who have attended calls of this nature have found the information from the input extremely useful.

"It means the world to be recognised for this project, and I am absolutely delighted for Alzheimer Scotland who do the most incredible work to support people with dementia and their families.

"On a personal level, they provided me and my dad with endless guidance on how to help my mum as well as information about social services and benefits we were entitled to.

"Without their help we would have drowned, we honestly couldn’t have coped without them and I can’t thank them enough."

Divisional Commander for Argyll and West Dunbartonshire, Chief Superintendent Grant Manders, said: "I am delighted that this incredible project, and the efforts of PCs MacMillan and Marsland, have been recognised with not one, but two awards.

"Many people will have experienced the challenges of Dementia on a personal level and I think it’s fantastic that officers in West Dunbartonshire are now better equipped to interact and assist people who have the condition.

"Both officers gave up their own free time to develop this project and I would like to congratulate them and Alzheimer Scotland on this tremendous achievement."

Fiona Kane, Dementia Advisor from Alzheimer Scotland, said: "We are so grateful to Police Scotland for producing these three powerful and emotive videos which were released during Scotland’s Dementia Awareness Week in 2016.

"The project was a very positive experience for everyone involved and I’d like to congratulate the officers from West Dunbartonshire for their commitment and vision to create this unique campaign and on winning this award.

"With over 90,000 people now living with dementia and the number on the rise, Alzheimer Scotland is passionate that nobody should face dementia alone and continues to work with supporters and partners to increase awareness of the condition and we are thrilled to continue a positive and collaborative relationship with Police Scotland locally."