A day in the life

Life as a CEO

Hello, I'm Ashleigh, one of a team of dedicated Community Enforcement Officers (CEOs). I started as a CEO in June 2014. In my time as CEO I've learned so much about the city and environment in which we live.

Many people ask about the role of a CEO. I personally feel the work done by this service is hugely beneficial to the environmental well-being (as well as individual well-being) of Glasgow as a city.

We CEOs interact with the community and provide a highly visible, reassuring patrol across Glasgow. Before I started my role as a Community Enforcement Officer, I was unaware of the services offered to the city's more vulnerable residents.

We direct vulnerable people to services that will help them with accommodation, food, and addiction issues. We're trained to engage with people at risk and those generally in need. For example, if on patrol we interact with an individual who is rough sleeping and who needs help, we will contact specially trained staff to liaise with the individual and ultimately help get them off the street and into safe accommodation as soon as possible.

We work within a multi-agency strategy to help tackle issues affecting communities across Glasgow: mainly environmental incivility and antisocial behaviour. A big part of a CEO's job is to gather intelligence and take a proactive approach to these issues affecting communities.

I work alongside exceptional colleagues who go to every length to engage and assist members of the public. We also engage with partners in Police Scotland and the Council, as well as with city centre businesses.

CEOs also work alongside The Environmental Task Force to make Glasgow a cleaner, safer city. Littering and dog fouling is both unsightly and unhygienic (not to mention illegal) and I firmly believe we all have a part to play in keeping our city as safe and clean as we can. These offences affect both residents and visitors to the city. Any individual I see depositing litter in a wrongful manner receives and Fixed Penalty Notice, as do irresponsible dog owners.

We do so much more, though, than issue tickets for offences. We have communications links with our Operation Centre, with Police, and with Retail Security Officers. Quite often we also find lost children and reunite them with a frantically searching adult.

I greatly enjoy this job. Glasgow City Councilis involved with many worthwhile ventures to make Glasgow as safe a city as it can be and I'm proud to be part of this!