Help us to keep our schools safe from damage
A school is an integral part of community life and a resource for you and your neighbours. However, during times when schools are closed, there may be a few people wanting to cause damage or vandalism. YOU can help us make sure your local school is safe.
What to look out for over the School Holidays
Similar to Neighbourhood Watch, keeping the schools safe across West Lothian involves the Police, the Council, the School and above all, the families and residents who use the school and live nearby who want to protect their school from criminals.
The most important times for you to be vigilant are during school holidays as schools are unattended and therefore more vulnerable than usual to crime.
Keep in mind that schools are generally large physical areas, with multiple "blind spots". If you hear unusual noises from within a school, such as glass breaking or banging noises, this might mean people are causing damage.
Look for unusual vehicles parked at a school on weekends or during holidays.
Watch for groups "hanging around" on school grounds. Whilst this can be innocent, it can be one of the starting points for crime or antisocial behaviour to occur.
Descriptions of people and vehicles including registration numbers are always good information to provide the police for their enquiries.
Do not approach anyone, remain calm and call the police and ask for their attendance.
Who to contact
- Call 999 for an emergency or if the crime is still occurring
- Call Police Scotland on 101 - if it's not an emergency
How your call helps
Your call could prevent break-ins, vandalism, graffiti or even fire-raising.
Ensuring your school is well cared for reflects on your community and contributes to the value of surrounding residential properties, so it's worth it!
The money saved from repairing vandalised schools and replacing broken windows goes towards more resources for the children in the school, benefiting them and the school community user groups.
When school resources have been stolen or vandalised, it can take some time to replace this and often classes have to be cancelled as a result.
By working together, we can:
- deter criminals and reduce the opportunity for crime
- build up a community spirit
- save money for education instead of using it for repairs and replacing stolen items
