Wick community councillors set for 'new relationship' with local police
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Community councillors in Wick are looking forward to establishing closer links with the police after complaining last month about a "complete lack of communication" from local officers.
A report on police call-outs during the first three weeks of August was presented to the September meeting of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council on Monday night.
Police updates, either in writing or delivered in person, had been absent from community council meetings in recent times despite being an ever-present agenda item.
That prompted chairperson Joanna Coghill to express her frustration during the August meeting. "It's a complete lack of communication of any sort from the police. I'm tired of getting no response, no reports," she said at the time.
Police Scotland later gave an assurance that its new area inspector for Caithness, Stephen Mezals, "will be reaching out to all our community councils and groups to maintain and improve engagement”.
Mrs Coghill said on Monday: “He is keen to work with us.
“We do realise they're busy, but it was frustrating that we were getting nowhere for so many months. After my moan in the paper last time we've got action and I look forward to a new relationship with them.”
The police report submitted to this week's meeting stated that officers in Wick had dealt with 176 calls from August 1-23.
Officers responded to 25 calls involving noise complaints or other antisocial behaviour and eight vandalism incidents. They responded to 16 "concern for person" calls, five about missing persons and four relating to child protection.
Seventeen calls involved domestic incidents, violence and other disturbances. A further eight calls arose from neighbour disputes.
There were 23 road-related calls, three about drug misuse and three about theft.
Mrs Coghill said after the meeting: "We have been made aware of youths being on the roofs of buildings in the centre of town, which is extremely dangerous, some causing trouble with off-road motorbikes around the South Head area and also youths causing damage to floral displays.
"This is something that will be brought to the attention of our newly appointed police inspector and our designated community officer."
