How police are using military tactics to tackle Scotland's organised crime gangs

Police use a technique called ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ to rid communities of organised criminals and prevent others from filling the gap

The impact of organised crime is all over the news – assaults on children and the elderly, violence meted out across the country, and the damage caused by a casual disregard for life and property.

Most people learn about organised crime from bingeing on boxsets – often sensationalised, sometimes glamorised – but the reality is very different. It’s a testament to the successful work of Police Scotland – and others – that efforts to interrupt and dismantle organised crime groups (OCGs) have meant they rarely escalate to the level of eye-for-an-eye violence until everyone is blind.

The number of individuals involved in OCGs who have been convicted and are now serving sentences in prisons across Scotland occupies the public consciousness a little less.

The reality of organised crime is seldom as it is depicted in TV shows like the BBC's critically acclaimed This City is Ours | BBC

Rivalries and alliances in prison

It’s naïve to think that, just because people are serving long sentences, their ‘businesses’ stop – or that the impact of their punishment leads them to reflect on their crimes and turn over a new leaf. In reality, managing OCGs in prison is a complex and often dangerous endeavour.

The in-depth knowledge required to understand rivalries and alliances, and the logistical control needed to manage them within the prison estate, is no small thing.

The more successful our justice system is at securing convictions, the more challenging it becomes for the prison service to manage. A police chief in Boston once told me that the most successful OCGs are those that avoid violence – because in many cases, it’s violence that draws the laser focus of the police.

Right now, we’re seeing the visible impact of OCGs in local communities. Firefighters are at risk, battling blazes set by groups intent on razing rival business interests to the ground. Jobs are lost. Injuries and fear rise.

A hairdresser living on an affected street spoke of how afraid she is when her children play outside, worried they might become collateral damage in a war not of her making, nor her neighbours.

Genuine community involvement

Police across the country are engaged in a policing tactic called “Clear, Hold, Build”. Originally a military strategy, it involves first ‘clearing’ communities of these gangs, then ‘holding’ – preventing others from capitalising on the vacuum created during the clearing phase. The final phase is ‘building’ a safer community for the next generation.

It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? Not to diminish the great work required to clear communities – it's the aspect that grabs the headlines – but it’s the ‘hold’ and ‘build’ phases are, in many ways, the most challenging.

They demand excellent intelligence work, genuine community involvement, and strong leadership at both local and agency levels to stop other predatory, opportunistic groups from moving in.

These last two phases require the very best of police and community collaboration – for there are members of these communities with vested interests in OCGs, whether through money, family, or fear. Relationships and a shared commitment to creating a place that feels safe are essential.

Bringing communities with us demands trust, honest and often difficult conversations, and that rarest and most valuable of assets, a great community police officer.

When that is paired with local people who give their all as vanguards of the community, the result can be truly transformative and, in doing so, can create the space for communities to breathe, rebuild, and thrive.

Karyn McCluskey is chief executive of Community Justice Scotland