Edinburgh crime: ‘Not enough cops to handle Edinburgh gang war’, warns police union

It comes as a suspected turf war between rival gangs of drug dealers in Edinburgh and Glasgow continues to rage, with several reports of shootings, assaults and homes and businesses being set on fire in and around both cities.

In the past week alone, three properties in Edinburgh have reportedly been firebombed, while weapons have been seized including a firearm, along with mobile phones.

Earlier this month, four people were arrested as part of a police investigation into rival “groups”, while on Friday (April 18) three more people – including a 17-year-old girl – were arrested and charged in connection with drugs and firearms offences in the Capital. They are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Saturday, April 19.

David Kennedy, head of the Scottish Police Federation, says decimated officer numbers are making it difficult for the force to get a lid on the situation – and he has called for investment in frontline policing.

He told the Evening News: “Police officers are doing all they can, but the simple truth is that there are not enough officers to meet the rising demand.

“Officers are under immense pressure, with chronic staffing shortages making it harder to respond proactively and disrupt gang activity before it escalates.

“Unless investment is made in frontline policing, we fear this trend will continue – and that more lives will be at risk as a result.”

Last month, First Minister John Swinney faced calls in the Scottish Parliament to increase police numbers in Edinburgh amid concerns about the rise in gang violence.

The issue was raised at First Minister's Questions by Edinburgh Eastern Alba MSP Ash Regan, asking what immediate action could be taken to support the emergency services to ensure safety and reassure communities.

Mr Swinney said he was “deeply concerned” by recent incidents in Edinburgh. And he added: “I reassure members that significant resources are being put into the scrutiny of closed-circuit television footage and that door-to-door inquiries and increased patrols are being deployed in the area.”

Ms Regan said serious concerns raised at the Scottish Police Federation conference over issues such as officer burnout and under-resourcing needed to be addressed urgently.

And she continued: “Edinburgh residents have the right to reassurance from visible, proactive policing and the right to not be left at the risk of being caught up in gang warfare.

“Will the First Minister commit today to reviewing the allocation formula for police funding for Edinburgh and consider targeted support for policing in areas of rising gang activity?”

Mr Swinney said these were matters for the chief constable in the exercise of her operational responsibility for control of policing. "It would be inappropriate for me to specify where police officers should be located.”

And he said the Scottish Government had allocated £1.62 billion in its budget to support police capacity and capability, an increase of £57 million.

Lothian Tory MSP Sue Webber also pressed the First Minister on more police for Edinburgh.

“These events should concentrate the minds of the Scottish Government regarding the on-going under-resourcing of policing in the Capital,” she said.

“Three years ago, Edinburgh had 120 fewer officers than its population needed, and by March last year there were 22 fewer than in the year before.

“I press the First Minister on the matter. Will the Scottish Government commit to resourcing Edinburgh’s police force in a manner that reflects the growing population, the additional complexities and what is needed to police a capital city?”

Mr Swinney said the chief constable was responsible for the operational deployment of police officers around the country. But he said: “I give the reassurance that the chief constable will address these issues.”

And he continued: “I believe that the financial settlement that we have put in place for policing is adequate for the challenges that we face in our country, given that we know that recorded crime is down by 40 per cent since 2006-07 and that there has been a 54 per cent fall in the rates of attempted murder and serious assault.”

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