Crime rates in cities across Scotland have fallen by a fifth since the reintroduction of bobbies on the beat.
Lothian and Borders Police said that bringing back regular foot patrols in Edinburgh, a method not used in the city since the early 1990s, had resulted in a massive cut in offences.
Glasgow has also experienced a significant drop in crime levels, with serious assaults falling by 38% last year in city-centre zones where police foot patrols were stepped up at evenings and weekends.
The success has prompted Scottish retailers to call for foot patrols in residential areas in cities and towns across the country.
Linda Williams, who owns the Broadway Star Supermarket on the outskirts of Edinburgh, believed retailers would welcome more bobbies on the beat. She said: "I'd definitely back more officers on the streets. The sort of crime we suffer from is usually as a result of teenagers misbehaving. More police patrols would act as a deterrent."

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