OUR festive campaign kicks off this week and it falls under ‘Operation Frankincense’.

This time of year is particularly busy for us, with people out shopping more, attending Christmas parties and indulging in a little more alcohol than usual. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some advice in the lead-up and to ask that you all take a little extra care to look after others and prevent yourself becoming a victim of crime.

When you are at home, there are a few simple precautions you can take. Make sure your doors and windows are locked and, as most Christmas trees are at a window, make sure you don’t place any presents which can be easily seen by an opportunist thief. Switch on your alarm if you have one and use timers for lights. Look out for neighbours, friends and family, particularly the more vulnerable.

Covid is still very much with us and I urge you all to follow the Government guidelines; however, if you are having a party or attending one, be mindful of how much drink you are having and look out for your friends, especially those who may have had one too many. Too much alcohol can make you more vulnerable to being a victim of crime.

This time of year sees a spike in online frauds as people rush to get that bargain. Remember, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Operation Frankincense sees additional officers on patrol in and around the county. We will be focusing on retail crime, road safety, violence, domestic abuse and high-visibility patrols. Our drink-drive initiative started recently so my officers have been more proactive with road checks to keep everyone safe. The simple message is don’t drink and drive.

This Christmas will be my final Christmas as East Lothian local area commander as I am moving on in January to a national project role within our corporate services division. I have been here since March 2019 and have loved every minute of my time serving the communities of East Lothian.

It has been a privilege to work with so many passionate and committed people who really go that extra mile to make the county the best place to live, work and visit. I am looking forward to my new role, which will see me work on projects modernising the way the public can contact and engage with the police, using a variety of different platforms and utilising new technologies.

Chief Inspector Jocelyn O’Connor will move into the local commander role and I know she will do an outstanding job and build upon all the great work already being done in the county. I wish her every success.