Caroline Flack’s death is a warning to trolls – Chief Superintendent Sean Scott

Caroline Flack was not a resident or native of Edinburgh and, to the best of my knowledge, she had no connection with this city. It might therefore seem a bit odd for me to mention her in my opening remarks of this month’s ­column, but I believe her death and the possible circumstances surrounding it, resonate with a large portion of the UK, including many of those living in the Capital.

Caroline Flack's death and the possible circumstances surrounding it will resonate with many people living in Edinburgh (Picture: AFP/Getty)

If what is being reported is to be believed, it seems as though the television presenter, pictured, took her own life. There is also widespread discussion that her decision to do so may have been prompted in some way by the abuse she received online from ­so-called trolls.

Suicide and mental health issues are not exclusive to those in the public limelight and sadly, on a daily basis, my officers respond to incidents where members of our communities, right here in Edinburgh, have taken their lives.

I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to those ­currently struggling with their mental health and who may be contemplating any form of self-harm.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott is the Divisional Commander for Edinburgh (Picture: Neil Hanna)

Please know that there are many support groups and organisations available to assist you through any difficult periods and trained professionals can give you all the help you need to make it through. If you are in need of help, please just talk to someone and remember, it’s ok to not be ok.

On the subject of online trolling and cyber abuse, I want to make it abundantly clear that police in ­Edinburgh and indeed, Police Scotland as an organisation, will not tolerate such offences.

Some may think that indulging in the bullying and harassment of another person or group is funny or harmless, but it is not. Furthermore, any thoughts of anonymity because these crimes are committed in the online arena are misplaced. We have specially trained officers who investigate all reports of cyber crime and use a range of tactics to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

Moving on, I want to focus on a more positive story for the Edinburgh public and that is the recent news that the VOW project is to receive Scottish Government funding.

VOW is a police-led scheme, which involves reaching out to ­offenders who are in the process of going through the criminal justice system and offering them the chance to break the cycle of offending, through education and employment opportunities.

The project sees officers on the VOW team work closely with reformed criminals to promote positive lifestyle choices and support anyone who has offended in the past, but wishes to change how they behave.

Almost 160 participants have gone through the programme, resulting in millions of pounds being saved to policing.

As a result of this success, VOW will receive a portion of the £19 million allocated to worthwhile projects as part of the CashBack for Communities scheme. I’d like to personally thank all of those involved in VOW for their incredible efforts so far and look forward to noting further successes thanks to this increased funding.

As many of you may be aware, budget forecasts at both national and local government level are due imminently and there has been speculation that the amount of council-funding allocated to policing here in ­Edinburgh may be reduced.

I want to stress that no decisions have been made at this time and we will continue to engage with our council partners to deliver the best possible service to communities amidst whatever financial constraints we find ourselves in.

However, it is no secret that in order for police to continue to meet the challenges we face on a daily basis, investment is required.

As Divisional Commander for Edinburgh, I must use whatever money is at my disposal in the most efficient way possible and in the event of a reduced budget, difficult discussions will need to be had and decisions made about how best to utilise our resources.

My hope is that the success of VOW and other projects we have either led on, or been involved in, demonstrates that with appropriate financial support, we can deliver quantifiable successes that benefit this city – not just in the short term, but for years to come.

Chief Superintendent Sean Scott is the Divisional Commander for Edinburgh.