Taking up the role of Communities Sergeant in Torry marks a welcome return to the area for me, after 15 years in other parts of the city.
So much has changed. I see the academy is now at Lochside, there’s a new harbour being built at Nigg Bay and the Torry bar has closed.
But so very much remains the same; the smoke houses on the quay, the willingness of people to stop and have a natter, and most of all, the community feeling that Torry is its own special place that just happens to be near Aberdeen.
The work the community has undertaken to support Street Sports on Wednesdays, the potential of the pump track and the support you provide the Torry Youth action group in helping our young people is immense.
As a community, we have access to resources that only need your participation to make a reality.
‘Children are noisy’
For me, the tolerance shown by the Torry community is refreshing.
The acknowledgement that children are noisy and need somewhere to play and let off steam – rather than being demonised – is a model for other areas.
That is not to say that they are perfect. It is to say that most are not too different from how we were at their age.
It is in Torry’s nature to take adversity and challenges in its stride and just get on with things, by helping neighbours and supporting the community.
So, as a community, we are looking to address those issues which affect your quality of life, whether it be drugs-related, or antisocial behaviour or the safe use of the online space by our children, either directly or as a local partnership.
I understand that sometimes people don’t want to contact us via 101 but we do have other ways you can get in touch, if it is not an emergency.
You can contact us by email (TorryFerryhillCPT@Scotland.police.uk), pop by the office or contact a city councillor, housing officer or the wardens service.
We are all here to support you.
Let us be clear, not everything that annoys you is a matter for the police, however, we will often know exactly who can help and we can put you in touch.
Noisy partying, barking dog
As a group, the city council want to hear about rubbish dumped at the side of the road or the constantly noisy partying/barking dog.
City housing officials would love to hear about the concerns their tenants have regarding their local area.
We also want to know about the older person who hasn’t been seen out for a while or the vulnerable neighbour who suddenly has a lot of new friends, or perhaps the children who seem to be left to their own devices for considerable periods of time.
We don’t just want to assist the individuals directly involved, we want to support you – the wider community – in being able to feel comfortable contacting us and to be confident that we will address your concerns.
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