Police Scotland to promote community safety at Black Isle Show

Issued by Police Scotland

Police Scotland will be ensuring public safety and providing information to the public at the Black Isle Show on 1 August.
 
Community Safety Officer, PC Euan McGibbon will be on hand at the Police Scotland stand, which will be located together with partner stands at the show. He will be there to give advice on community safety and to promote key initiatives including Farm Watch.
 
PC McGibbon said: "Farm Watch was launched in the Nairn and Inverness areas about two years ago. It now extends out across other areas in the Highlands, including Ross and Cromarty and Caithness and Sutherland, and has several hundred members.
 
"Farm Watch uses modern technology to pass out alerts to members by text or e-mail.  Within minutes of an incident occurring, a message can be sent out, warning other farmers and making it more difficult for criminals to target several farms in a row.  As well as providing early information, and therefore allowing early police intervention, Farm Watch also brings together often isolated rural communities as they unite to ensure that the rural Highlands are not a soft option for criminals."
 
He continued, "We are fully committed to providing an effective police service to rural communities and it is important to get people in these communities working with us. Farm Watch creates a network of eyes and ears, all working together to combat crime and suspicious activity in rural areas. The scheme also allows us to get quick alerts out to members in terms of any activity that might concern them.
 
"There has been lots of positive feedback from the farming community and I am very appreciative of the work and support provided by the NFU in supporting this initiative."
 
If anyone would like to join the Farm Watch scheme they should contact Police Scotland on 101 or the National Farmers Union 01463 794 474.
 
Event Commander Chief Inspector Ross MacKillop said: "Officers, Cadets and Special Constables will be  attending the Show to keep people safe at the event. The Black Isle Show is also a great opportunity to engage with the general public and farming communities and provide people with advice on how to keep their communities safe, prevent crime and the ways in which they can get information and contact Police. It is always a very well attended and successful event."
 
He added, "Members of the public will also be able to find out about a new recruitment drive for Special Constables to Police Scotland at our stand on 1 August."
 
The roads around the Black Isle Show are always very busy during the event and Police advise the public to observe the signage in the area to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
 
ends