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Police hailed as violent crime plummets in Aberdeen city centre

Belmont Street
Belmont Street

New figures have revealed a drop in violent crime in Aberdeen city centre, six years after it was branded a “no go area” by a local councillor.

Rosemount councillor Bill Cormie hailed the “significant” drop in violent incidents, and said they were a “tribute to the police and licensed trade”.

The figures show assaults have dropped by almost a third in the last three years.

Common assault in the areas defined by police as city centre north, west and south dropped from 1,228 in 2012/13 to 843 in 2012/13.

The city centre was branded as Scotland’s worst crime beat in 2009, prompting Mr Cormie to convene a special summit to tackle the issue.

More than 50 organisations were represented at the meeting in Aberdeen Town House in November 2009, with licensing chiefs joining Grampian Police in a pledge to work together to tackle the problems in the future.

Suggestions put forward included shutting down the entire city centre after midnight, breath-testing suspected under-age drinkers on the street, or locking up disorderly party-goers in “drunk tanks” for the night.

Last night Mr Cormie said the results had come from a joint from multiple agencies to tackling street violence and the effects of drinking too much.

He said: “The police and their partners really have to be praised for this as they have turned around the situation totally.

“Six years ago there were lots of people afraid to go into the city centre because of its violent reputation.

“But now because of the police, licensed trade and groups like Street Pastors people aren’t afraid and that’s a great thing.

“I think this has been the benefit of everyone working together to tackle the problem in a joined up way.”

But it was not all good news with the figures also showing a huge jump in people arrested for drugs possession in George Street – up from just 43 in 2012/13 to 148 in 2014/15.

Chief Inspector Graeme Mackie, whose area of command includes much of the city centre, said: “Drugs are still a problem. They are a factor in violent crime and in acquisitive crime.

“We’re working with the likes of Drugs Action and the Alcohol and Drugs Partnership on prevention.”