Ch Insp Helen Harrison: It's ready, teddy go for Festival

We are now into the second week of the Edinburgh Festival and our annual policing campaign, Operation Summer City.

Chief Inspector Helen Harrison is Commander for Operation Summer City. Picture: Greg Macvean

The Capital is now awash with a range of different performances, displays and events and the population within the city centre reflects the vibrant atmosphere we get here during the summer.

Our communities and the visitors to the city will undoubtedly see the large high visibility police presence within the city centre over the coming weeks and I want to reassure everyone that we are here purely to provide assistance and engagement with the public. Of course, we will deal with any incidents, which may arise and are on hand to provide a visible deterrence against crime and members of the public can approach officers in patrol with any issues or concerns they may have.

For the third year running our mobile police station – Unofficial Fringe Venue 999 – will be in place again at East Princes Street Gardens.

In addition, the Police Information Centre on the High Street will also be open and anyone can drop in during opening hours to report a crime or obtain useful crime prevention advice.

With 2018 being named the Year of Young People we have an ongoing partnership with the Children 1st Parentline service to provide specially created trauma teddies at both of our Summer City venues. These teddies will be provided to any children who come in contact with police in traumatic circumstances to offer them some reassurance and comfort.

Obviously we do not want any children suffering trauma but we are grateful to have these teddies and the public can help make more of these soft toys by knitting their own and depositing them at either police venue.

The approved knitting patterns can be obtained online at www.children1st.org.uk/what-we-do/news/bear-withthe-trauma-teddy-knitting-pattern-is-here

Young people are, of course, not the only groups we want to keep safe during the summer and we have been working closely with relevant partners to deter and tackle the issues that typically rise during the Festival period.

On behalf of everyone at Edinburgh Division I hope all of those who live in, or visit the city during the Festival have a memorable and enjoyable summer.

Follow us on Twitter @EdinburghPolice or like our Edinburgh Division Facebook page to obtain details of our Summer City activity and advice on crime prevention.

Chief Inspector Helen Harrison is Commander for Operation Summer City.