Central Scotland Police

Area Commander - Superintendent Alan Douglas

Supt Douglas took charge of all operational policing within Clackmannanshire in February 2010. He joined Central Scotland Police as a cadet in 1985 and has since fulfilled a number of operational and corporate roles. He was the project manager for the construction of the new Falkirk Area Command office, was seconded to HM Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland and served previously as Dunblane Sub Area Commander.

Superintendent Alan Douglas says: "To have seen crime fall by almost a fifth over a year, on the back of earlier annual decreases, means Clackmannanshire's communities are getting safer. We work hard with the public to ensure we're tackling the issue of greatest concern, such as anti-social behaviour and youth disorder, and targeting those who try to undermine community well-being through criminal activity.

"Youth disorder has been a real focus over the past year and our approach has been one of early intervention, disruption, seizing alcohol and targeting those off-licenses where young people can source drink.

"Although calls to the police regarding disorder and anti-social behaviour have decreased significantly, much of what we experience is drink-fuelled. So by stopping access to alcohol, we can have a positive impact in our towns and villages."

Area Profile

Clackmannanshire Area Command has a population of 48,000 people and covers the smallest council area in Scotland. Stretching from the outskirts of Stirling along the foot of the Ochil Hills on the northern bank of the River Forth, the area has a diverse mix of rural and urban communities.

With a rich history, based around the former woollen mills, the Wee County has a mix of castles, towerhouses, countryside and hillside walks as well as a growing modern retail and leisure sector.

Policing

The Area Command is overseen by the Superintendent, a Chief Inspector and two community Inspectors. There are three main police stations located in Alloa, Tullibody and Tillicoultry serving communities from Dollar and Muckhart in the east to Menstrie in the west. The Clackmannanshire community policing team led by the Area Command management tackle a wide range of issues and work closely with the local community through the PACT (Police and Communities Together) process.

Performance

• Crime in Clackmannanshire Area Command fell by more than 18 per cent between April 1 2009 and March 31 2010.
• The detection rate was more than 62 per cent with 3,283 crimes recorded in total.
• Crimes of Violence (Group 1) fell by 31 per cent with 61 offences recorded. The detection rate was 93 per cent.
• Crimes of Indecency (Group 2) increased by 101 crimes with 125 recorded in total, compared to 24 record in 2008-2009. This increase was the result of two large-scale inquiries and a number of historical cases with multiple charges.
• Crimes of Dishonesty (Group 3) fell by 20 per cent, with 1,175 recorded in total. The detection rate was 54 per cent.
• Crimes involving Malicious Mischief (Group 4) fell by 21 per cent, with 1,074 crimes recorded. The detection rate was 37 per cent.
• Other Crimes (Group 5) includes bail offences and drugs. This group also covers weapons searches and reflects proactive policing. There were 848 crimes recorded, a decrease of 21 per cent.

Use the links on the left to discover more about community policing in Clackmannanshire.