University Crimeline

[camel club]

Just browsing the sinner calendar.. and came accross wednesday's 'University Crimeline Luanch Party'.

Sounds really good to me! Anyone know more about it?

[Mr Comedy]

FREE drinks? Sounds good to me too. But thats the same night as the iMovie thing, and I'm going to that. Damn my busy social life..

[Colin]

[s]Mr Comedy wrote on 00:33, 23rd Mar 2003:
FREE drinks? Sounds good to me too. But thats the same night as the iMovie thing, and I'm going to that. Damn my busy social life..


Calendar says it is at 2pm - can do both!! Sign me up for the free drinks...

[Colin]

I just noticed. Is there any reason why the first choice of smiley for posting under is the alcohol one?! James, was this trying to anticipate demand?!

[Prophet Tenebrae]

Hmm, free alcohol

[puppy]

So far what I have heard about the hotline is that:
[l]
[li]it's for use by University Students and Staff only.
[li]it's open 24 hours a day.
[li]it's free to call (0800 number).
[li]it's completely confidential.
[/l]

[RichZ]

The idea, as far as I know is that it's a confidential hotline for just students/staff, as puppy said, and it's just the launch of it. It's so you can report people misbehaving without having to give any of your details.

I don't think they want any general public knowing the number. That's why they're having a press launch thingy! Makes sense to me;

"We're opening a new phone line just for Uni students and staff, but we're not going to tell anyone the number so the public don't find out"!

[Kat]

I know the first thing I'm going to report.. all those guys that sit in their cars on market street, reving their engines and beeping their horns.

I know it might seem really intollerant of me, but I'm sure I'm not alone in finding their behaviour threatening.

[RichZ]

You're right kat, they are VERY annoying. They also try to see how fast they can go down Bell Street and still stop at the end, they're doing that on Market Street more now too I recon!

With their obvious Nissan Micra and alike, not that I'm saying that a Micra is a bad car, but they try to make it look like a sports car with all the body kits etc on them. It would probablly be just a much to just buy a sports car! OK, well maybe not.

They also sound soooooo stupid with the phssssh noises and things!

> Here ends the babble!

[Prophet Tenebrae]

We all hate the boy racing Neds of the South Street ghetto.

[Cola Cube]

Where are they from anyway, Anstruther? They're not from Cupar, I know that much so it's probably Anstruther.

[Okocim]

But isn't it wonderful when their cars stall as they're trying to rev the engine a little bit too much!

[niall]

i'm eagerly awaiting the day when a tyre blows while wheel spining!

[hr]its a spoon!

http://www.tastyspoon.com

[Moyersy]

If you have a problem with the boy racers, then you should phone the police with their registration number. It seems a thorough waste of time to ring the university Crimeline to report matters over which they have no jurisdiction.

There has been a crimeline going for a few years now, it's quite popular with the public, but it seems that some students have trouble remembering the number (999) so they evidently need their own special line.

It'll be interesting to see what this Crimeline actually does, as I notice from Fife Constabulary's annual report that violent crime in St Andrews is rising at a rate of 50% a year. (20 incidents in 2001, 30 in 2002) I suspect this year's stats will top 50, as I know of at least one reported assault a week since the start of term.

[puppy]

[s]Moyersy wrote on 17:19, 23rd Mar 2003:
It seems a thorough waste of time to ring the university Crimeline to report matters over which they have no jurisdiction.

The University CrimeLine is run by Fife Police, how is it not their jurisdiction? Duh!


There has been a crimeline going for a few years now, it's quite popular with the public, but it seems that some students have trouble remembering the number (999)

WRONG! 999 is the number for the emergency services. When you call it you are expected to give your name and contact details. When you report something to the University CrimeLine you can do so completely anonymously. From what I've been told the police have no way of tracing calls to the CrimeLine even if they wanted to.

[Prophet Tenebrae]

Doesn't that mean it's more likely to be abused by prankcallers?

[Moyersy]

[s]puppy wrote on 18:01, 23rd Mar 2003:
The University CrimeLine is run by Fife Police, how is it not their jurisdiction? Duh!

Fair point, I was unaware of that. But it seems to me that the only difference is that this is a freephone number to the police station. I doubt very much that the police are going to pay a separate operator to man the line 24/7, so that leaves either the same operator who mans the police station line, or an answering machine.

I don't quite understand why the university warrants such special treatment compared with colleges in Fife especially when National schemes already exist and are widely used (Crimestoppers being one example). I believe Fife Police are pouring money into these schemes when what's really needed is more plods on the beat. Intelligence led policing is an excellent idea, but in a town like this where incidents are generally opportunist and/or alcohol fuelled, intelligence will not deter/catch the culprits.

WRONG! 999 is the number for the emergency services. When you call it you are expected to give your name and contact details.

That is incorrect, you are under no obligation to give your contact details. Generally, rightly or wrongly, persons giving details are treated as more legitimate than those who do not.

When you report something to the University CrimeLine you can do so completely anonymously.

As with Crimestopppers, an anonymous 999 call from a phone box or calling the local police station.

From what I've been told the police have no way of tracing calls to the CrimeLine even if they wanted to.


That may well be the case, however they will still press for an informers details as they will have difficulty in pressing charges for the minor offences which this service seems to be targetting without a victim/witnesses.

[camel club]

From what people have been saying on the thread, the CrimeLine seems a really good thing. I think at the moment there is a big problem with students not reporting crimes.

Someone was talking about violent crime... One of my mates got beaten up a while ago. He felt too embarrased to report the crime officially, so it went unreported. When this happens the criminal thinks they have got away with it and thinks they can do it again, with no recriminations.

Surely anything at all that makes it easier for people like my friend is a good thing?

[Oli]

From what I've heard, it's not just about violent crime and vandalism - it's for any issue that the Police may be able to solve.

Apparenlty it's even for issues like bullying and harrassment.

And you won't have to give your name - it's an answerphone where you can leave as much information as you want.

[puppy]

[s]Moyersy wrote on 18:45, 23rd Mar 2003:
I don't quite understand why the university warrants such special treatment

The population of cupar is only 7000 and that warrants its own police station. There are over 8000 people either studying or working at St Andrews university. Having a dedicated CrimeLine doesn't seem like special treatment to me.


...they will still press for an informers details

As Oli rightly pointed out.. it's an message service, people can leave as much or as little information as they want.