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New full and affiliate members Pierre Burger, Philip Prestage, Colin Przystupa, Roger Noakes, John Fleming and James Wheeler were presented with their membership certificates by Roy Sutherland, Chairman, at the recent Association of Security Consultants (ASC) quarterly Business Club Seminar held recently in St. James's, London.

Central Edinburgh shown to be the crime capital of Scotland

05/06/06

THE CENTRE of Edinburgh has been identified as Scotland's crime capital, according to the most detailed picture of crime ever compiled.

More offences were committed in an area covering Princes Street and the rest of the New Town than in any other part of the country, according to a breakdown of every recorded crime in Scotland last year.

The data, obtained by the Sunday Times using the Freedom of Information Act, will enable people, for the first time, to identify crime levels and trends in their neighbourhood.

More drug offences, acts of vandalism, fire-raising and crimes involving offensive weapons were committed in Craigmillar, in Edinburgh, than anywhere else.

As expected, more murders, attempted murders, serious assaults and robberies were committed in the centre of Glasgow than in any other area. However, contrary to popular perception, it was the centre of Edinburgh, not Glasgow, which was most crime-ridden overall. Almost 5,000 crimes were committed in the area, which covers Rose Street and George Street, the city's top nightlife destinations, as well as the New Town which includes some of the country's most expensive properties.

The area had the country's third-highest rates for murder and violence as well as having high number of crimes of dishonesty, public disorder and drug offences.

Aberdeen Central recorded the second highest number of crimes followed by Holyrood and an area covering the centre of Glasgow from Buchanan Street to Queen Street.

The fifth highest crime hotspot was around Elgin and Barnhill in Morayshire, which has high levels of antisocial behaviour and motoring offences.

The statistics, provided by every police force in Scotland, were broken down into 1,100 police beats and cover seven crime groups violence, sexual crime, dishonesty, fire-raising and malicious damage, drugs and weapons, petty assaults and anti-social behaviour and, finally, motoring offences.

? The full crime statistics can be viewed at www.timesonline.co.uk/scottish

Left to right: Laurie Doust (ASC Secretary), Keith Carey (Salto Systems), Ramesh Gurdev (Salto Systems), Roy Sutherland (ASC Chairman)

Left to right: Simon Lambert (ASC Member), Roy Sutherland (ASC Chairman), Kevin Quinn (Acting ASC Secretary).

Roy also welcomed back Laurie Doust, ASC Secretary, from his most recent journey and said that "if Laurie goes on any more cruises, we'll have to club together and buy him a boat!".

Salto Systems sponsored the event, with Keith Carey giving an introduction to the company. Keith then handed over the meeting to Ramesh Gurdev, whose presentation included available access control technologies and how to increase access security. Ramesh concluded by giving a fascinating insight into the future of access of control, including trends and solutions.

Robert Powell of Integrated Payment Solutions provided information about Smart Cards and how the applications can be integrated. He also gave details about campus and company wide solutions. Robert concluded with his thoughts about facts and fictions of the Mifare world which were of great interest to the capacity audience.

An insight into the role and charitable aims of the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (WCoSP) was given by Andrew Knights, Treasurer of the WCoSP.

Simon Lambert (ASC Member) gave an excellent and light hearted insight into the problems that can be faced when deciding what digital video recording systems to buy and install. His candid thoughts were well received by the audience.

Roy Sutherland brought the formal proceedings to a close by thanking all those who had provided the interesting presentations and to Salto Systems for sponsoring the event.

Roy reminded everyone that the next Business Club Seminar will be held on 9^th September 2010. He also mentioned that CONSEC, the ASC's annual international conference and exhibition, will be held on Thursday, 4 November 2010, at the RAF Museum at Hendon. He indicated that another exciting programme is being finalised for this year and that there are only a few spaces left for exhibitors.

Everyone then adjourned to the bar and to partake of a vast and delicious buffet luncheon, and to take the opportunity to chat with old friends and make new ones.

The ASC organises a number of prominent events during the year, which are of importance to both ASC members and others who are interested in security issues and technical innovations.

ASC

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