POLICE Scotland were branded a “disaster” at a community council meeting by a former officer who claimed local youths were “running rings around them”.

Community councillor David Thomson hit out at community policing in Tranent, after a monthly police report catalogued a long list of incidents involving youths in the town.

In many of the incidents, the police reported that by the time they attended the scene, the youths were no longer there, leading Mr Thomson to question how often the community police team actually patrolled the town.

And when he was told it was a couple of times a week, or at priority events such as Hallowe’en and fireworks weekend, he described it as a “sad state of affairs”.

He said: “When we are told we have a community police team I expect three shifts of patrols three times a day, every day, not just at priority events. Patrolling for two days a month when there is a high priority even is not what people want.

“I am only highlighting what a disaster Police Scotland is and what a sad state of affairs policing in general and patrols are in.”

Mr Thomson, who revealed he was a retired police officer, said the lack of a police presence in the town was allowing youths to run riot.

He told the community officer who presented the police report to Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council: “The kids are running rings around you.”

The police report included numerous incidents involving reports of youths on the roof of buildings, including Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School, where offensive graffiti was also reportedly spray-painted.

It also included complaints about eggs being thrown at houses, windows broken, cars damaged and theft.

In most of the complaints involving youths, the report concluded that when officers attended they were no longer at the scene.

Mr Thomson said: “[The youths] are aware of the system. They know how long it takes police to get there from Dalkeith. All these calls saying they made off prior to police arrival is because we are not patrolling.”

Community council chairman David Forrest pointed out that the issue was not just a local problem. However, Mr Thomson insisted it needed to be raised.

He said: “We need to speak out about it, when there are patrolling units they should be patrolling. It should not just be for priority events, it should be every day.”

Inspector Andrew Harborow, from Police Scotland, later said that officers had been focusing on youth-related anti social behaviour across the county with ongoing initiative Operation Wolfcastle.

He said in a statement: “Operation Wolfcastle utilises local officers, who work alongside our relevant partners, to respond to youth problems and associated offences in the region and is already proving successful.

“Over the weekend of November 12 and 13 a number of youths were charged for anti-social behaviour. Large quantities of alcohol were seized from various people under the age of 18 during this activity, and I’d like to reassure the public that we will continue with Operation Wolfcastle enforcement wherever our communities identify an problem that requires police attention.”

“The officers deployed as part of Operation Wolfcastle are part of the new community policing model in operation within East Lothian and this model is currently working effectively and has been well-received by elected members, relevant partner agencies and our local communities.”