Choices, challenges, and keeping communities safe

How ASEL and local retailers are joining forces on anti-social behaviour…

For me, summer in Glasgow is about choices – do I grab my clubs and step out for a round of golf?

I love being on the course. Always have. There’s something about the mix of freedom and frustration that keeps luring me in.

Or…do I find a gig to rock out to (the recent Iron Maiden show was a serious treat). Or…do I head into the city for a bite and a tipple?

Let’s say we opt for the latter. My husband Ross and I are then faced with yet another tough choice – do we head to Outlier (one of our favourite coffee spots), to Glasgow’s West End for a bit of scenery, or somewhere new entirely?

By all accounts, these choices are nice problems to have. I’ll be pleased with whatever we land on. But as someone who loves Glasgow’s buzz, I also know that summer can bring about challenges. The same busy, lively energy that makes the city so spectacular can sometimes spill over in ways that hurt local businesses, retailers, and families.

And with the summer holidays coming up, parents are making choices too. They’re no doubt wondering how to keep the kids busy, stimulated, and safe. Because in Glasgow, as across the UK, if those options aren’t clear or they’re in short supply…anti-social behaviour (ASB) can take hold.

I work as an Account Director at ASEL – a provider of security and safety solutions across the country – and anti-social behaviour is something our customers talk to us about all the time. Just last week I was chatting to a major retail partner about the issue and their heightened alert during the summer months. And now we’re slap bang in the heart of ASB Awareness Week – how’s that for timing!

The ripple effects of anti-social behaviour

ASB is of course a multi-faceted and wide-ranging issue, from minor nuisances like noisy car meets to more serious challenges involving dependency and crime. All of these are challenging to deal with, and all of them have unique, nuanced solutions.

What’s especially striking to me is the trepidation that comes with handling anti-social behaviour. People may be reluctant to report or escalate cases, fearing repercussions or retaliation later down the line. But the sad fact of the matter is this: anti-social behaviour has a serious impact on individuals, businesses, and entire communities.

Rolling up our sleeves

But as ASEL, we’re determined to play our part. Rather than being deterred by potential ramifications, we’re genuinely energised by the chance to make a meaningful difference in local communities – especially by working hand-in-hand with local retailers and partners.

With the summer holidays approaching – and ASB often spiking among young people during school breaks – now feels like the right moment to put boots on the ground and work towards a solution.

That’s why, at ASEL, I’m heading up a brand new ASB initiative – a task force of sorts – to help address the problem in partnership with some of our forward-thinking retailer clients and local contacts. For now, it’s a small, dedicated team of colleagues working closely with retail partners, local police, and other key community stakeholders.

We’ll be drawing on ASEL’s repertoire of uniformed security personnel, top-tier surveillance technology, access control, data-sharing, and more – working alongside retailers to help make public spaces feel safer and to support young people to stay on track.

Our choice is clear…

Just like we all have a choice about how to spend our summer days, my colleagues and I at ASEL have a choice – we can either sit and watch as ASB ramps up over the summer holiday period, or we can harness our expertise to do something about it.

Of course we’re going with the latter. For our customers and retail partners, absolutely – but also for the greater good of the community (Hot Fuzz-style, only with less chaos). The first project of the ASB initiative is launching in the Durham and Bristol areas in just a few weeks, so watch this space. I can’t wait to share what we learn along the way – the wins, the challenges, and hopefully, the positive difference we can make together.

In the meantime, I’ll be flicking between the office and the golf course – with a delicious dish or two thrown in for good measure.

Rosie Barron

Account Director