WHEN one area of the city becomes notorious for criminal and anti social behaviour we rightly expect action to be taken.

The area around Union Street and Argyle Street has for many years now been a hotspot for various types of criminal activity from low-level nuisance to serious violent crime.

There has been a high – and highly visible – police presence in the area as there has been in the rest of the city centre and, together with other agencies, this has enabled a detailed profile of the offences and those at risk to be built up.

Now, it is time to put that to good use and begin to reduce the level of crime and make the streets safer for everyone.

The police are clear in who they are targetting and who they are seeking to protect, and in that they deserve and should expect the co-operation of the public.

The area is a magnet for young people and as such will also attract people looking to exploit those young people in various ways.

It is those young people the police operation is designed to protect and prevent them being lured into crime.

The whole of the city centre should be somewhere people feel safe and, by removing the threat of violence that exists late at night, that goal can more a step closer to being achieved.

By targeted, intelligence-led policing and with public support, our city centre streets can be made safer for everyone to enjoy.