10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIOLENCE REDUCTION UNIT

That this House congratulates the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) on its 10th anniversary; notes the foundation of the VRU in 2005 by Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan and Strathclyde Police principal analyst Karyn McCluskey and its innovative use of a public health approach to tackle violence; recognises the groundbreaking partnerships carried out by the VRU over the last decade, including working with dentists, hairdressers, vets and others to identify domestic abuse; further notes groundbreaking projects such as Mentors in Violence Prevention and Medics against Violence; notes the work the VRU has carried out amongst gangs in Glasgow promoting positive alternatives, based on work in Boston in the US in the 1990s; recognises its success in helping bring crime to a 40-year low in Scotland; wishes the VRU continued success over the next decade; and supports the principle that violence is preventable, not inevitable.