Officers in Inverness launch Operation Respect
A long-standing initiative aimed at keeping Inverness a safe place to live, work and visit over the festive season has been launched.
Operation Respect sees agencies and local voluntary partners pool together their wide ranging and varied skills to tackle street disorder, anti-social behaviour, retail crime and other forms of criminality. Crucially it is also designed to provide assistance to vulnerable people – whether that is a result of mental health concerns, alcohol or substance abuse – and provide a safe environment and the provision of pastoral care to those who are in need.
We actively engage in proactive measures to ensure that the city is a safe place to be, whether you live and work in the city, a visiting group enjoying our hospitality, or simply a lone person walking home at night.
Although Operation Respect is a Police Scotland initiative led by Inverness area command, it is very much a partnership between organisations dedicated to providing expertise in multiple areas, contributing towards the wellbeing of those in our community.
The combined efforts of those involved have enabled us to provide trained first aid teams walking within the city centre to combined police, paramedic and mental health practitioners on mobile patrols and responding to those in crisis.
There is also immediate access to pastoral care and a heightened level of stewarding within the City.
Operation Respect commences on Friday, 1 December, 2023 and runs every Friday and Saturday until the last Saturday evening – Saturday, 30 December, 2023.
Inspector David McAlpine said: “We are once again preparing for a busy festive period. We are delighted to be working alongside partner agencies to keep people safe over the festive period in Inverness.
“We aim to ensure everyone has a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year.”
Participants in this year’s festive campaign are:
Police Scotland
Highland Council
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Scottish Ambulance Service
NHS Highland
BID Inverness
Highland Third Sector Interface
Highland Drug & Alcohol Partnership
Street Pastors
Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT Highland)
Community Justice Partnership
Mikeysline
Trading Standards
The Discovery College- Centered Scotland
