Police crackdown at national parks over anti-social behaviour
- Published
Balloch police patrols will focus on the park and town at the south end of Loch Lomond
Police patrols have been escalated at Scotland's two national parks to tackle increased anti-social behaviour.
Officers at Balloch on Loch Lomond said they were clamping down on public drinking, youth disorder and water safety issues.
At Cairngorms National Park, extra officers have been sent to the Glenmore area to ensure it remains a "safe and enjoyable place" for visitors.
The patrols will also make sure that wildlife and habitats are protected.
Ch Insp Coleen Wylie told BBC Scotland: "The weather has been fantastic and it has seen an increase in visitors, but there has been an element that has caused disorder and anti-social behaviour.
"Unfortunately we've seen large groups of young people drinking alcohol, which has led to this disorder.
"This year has been challenging because we've had a prolonged period of good weather, people want to get out and about post-lockdown, and people are not going abroad this year."
As well as pockets of disorder and violence, the officer said there had been "water safety issues".
Police in the Cairngorms said access rights "are not an excuse" for anti-social behaviour
On Friday evening, a 16-year-old boy was found dead near the pier at Balloch Country Park after getting into difficulty in Loch Lomond. The circumstances of his death are not yet known.
The incident came just hours after Police Scotland announced its "Safe Summer Plan" - launched with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, West Dunbartonshire Council and British Transport Police.
British Transport Police said it has seen increased anti-social behaviour on the railway in West Dunbartonshire and Ayrshire - with 36 incidents at Balloch and 104 incidents in Ayrshire since April.
Protecting the environment
The "enhanced" police presence in the Cairngorms will focus on Glenmore and the shores of Loch Morlich over the summer holidays.
The area is one of the busiest parts of the Cairngorms National Park.
Grant Moir, the park's chief executive, said: "The vast majority of visitors to the park are enjoying their experience and behaving very well.
"The combined presence of rangers and the police at key times will help support everyone to have a great time in the park and in a way that protects the local environment."
Mounted officers in Edinburgh have patrolled Portobello beach to tackle youth disorder.
Area commander Ch Insp Jenny Valentine added: "Local officers regularly patrol busy areas in and around the national park and have been working closely with partners to tackle issues.
"Access rights are not an excuse for anti-social behaviour and so we welcome the opportunity to work proactively with partners to ensure that the area remains a safe and enjoyable place to visit."
The joint patrols started last weekend and will continue for a further five weeks.
Meanwhile, in Edinburgh officers said they would be maintaining a "significant police presence" at Portobello Beach to deal with anti-social behaviour and disorder.
It follows a series of incidents at the beach, including fighting, during the recent hot weather.