Well, this is Govan

This is Helen Street police station in Govan, on the southside of Glasgow:

Handy for the M8, the road that leads to the centre of Glasgow - to the high court for an appearance by suspected terrorists - or to the airport for people being extradited. The wikipedia entry says this is one of 'several buildings' in the complex. In fact, Govan police station is huge and extends from Paisley Road West down Helen Street to Shieldhall Road. 

Where this police station is not is in the community of Govan. Which is of course where it is needed. 

On Thursday, Alex and I went to the local cafe for our usual 'after-work' snack. (Shouldn't call it work because volunteers don't actually get paid.) The cafe manager was not her usual cheery self. When we asked if she was ok, she told us a horror story. 

Across the road from the cafe, a flat is being done up for rental by the local housing association. We're not sure if the young people working on it are on 'community payback' or are volunteers or students from the local schools. At lunchtime, the person in charge let them go off to get something to eat. They went no more than 100 yards up the road to the corner shop. Next thing, the cafe manager said a lad burst into the cafe, held the door shut and asked her to call the police. He and the other lads had just been chased down the street by two guys with long sticks studded with nails. The manager went to the door and found two guys outside, hoodies pulled up the hide their faces, but with said sticks still clearly visible in their hands. She told them in no uncertain terms to 'get the **** away from this door.' She's about 4 foot 10, this wumman but, you'll have gathered, she's game. They went. She got the lad to phone his boss, and he came in a minibus and took all the lads away. 

I think the saddest thing about this is that she was adamant: 'Ye canny do this these days. Ye canny take boys oot o their ain area intae some place like Govan.' 

Maybe you could if the polis weren't in Helen Street at the far end of Govan, but based at Golspie Street as they once were. But I gather those days are over.