Children as young as ten caught carrying weapons, police figures show
Recent police data reveals alarming incidents of children carrying weapons and drugs
Crime
Edinburgh
Scotland
Weapons
Drugs
Police
Edinburgh: Police have found pre-teen children with knives and drugs. This includes a ten-year-old caught with a bladed weapon last July.
In another case, a 12-year-old girl in Ayr was found with weapons and drugs. A 14-year-old in east Fife had a firearm during a police call in September.
Police Scotland follows strict guidelines when searching young people. However, the Scottish Police Federation says fewer officers in schools means missed chances for prevention.
Data shows that from April to September 2024, kids aged ten to 17 were involved in 123 weapon cases. This is over a quarter of all positive searches for weapons.
In total, there were 566 successful searches of children under 18 during this time. Of the 123 weapon searches, 25 were for care and welfare, and five were for life protection.
David Threadgold from the Scottish Police Federation said officers must quickly assess situations involving weapons. They often can’t tell a person’s age in these moments.
He noted that police visibility in communities has decreased, making them seem reactive rather than proactive. This limits relationship-building and intelligence gathering.
Katy Clark from Scottish Labour expressed concern about young children carrying dangerous items. She believes this trend shows kids are being led into crime early.
She urged the SNP to support police efforts in schools and provide resources to combat organized crime.
Liam Kerr from the Scottish Conservatives criticized the SNP for not addressing rising crime rates. He called for better education to prevent youth from turning to crime.
The Scottish Government highlighted a £4 million investment in violence prevention over the past two years. They claim recorded crime has dropped 40% since 2006/07.
A government spokesperson emphasized the importance of preventing youth from engaging in criminal activities. They also mentioned the ‘CashBack for Communities’ program supporting 1.3 million young people.
Police Scotland may increase patrols to address disorder and criminality. They encourage anyone with information to report it.