Operation Summer City aims to keep our Festival safe - Paul Gillespie

Chief Inspector Paul Gillespie

Operation Summer City has been carried out for several years now and will see a range of policing resources, including local policing teams and specialist divisions and units deployed to engage with the public and offer reassurance, as well as responding to and deterring criminal activity.

The Capital’s population doubles to around one million people over the next month and it is vitally important that we provide a visible presence for those who live, work and visit the city centre, while at the same time, offering all the necessary crime prevention and personal safety information individuals require to keep themselves safe.

To enhance our presence and ability to respond to any incidents, we will have our mobile police station set up at Tron Kirk on the Royal Mile, and anyone wishing to speak face-to-face with an officer is welcome to drop-in during opening hours.

Edinburgh is continually named as one of Europe’s safest cities and we’re extremely proud of this. However, it would be remiss to not expect a rise in certain crime types when the number of people in the city increases so significantly.

In order to combat this, we’ll have dedicated foot patrols in all key areas of the Festival and our work with licensed venue staff has been ongoing for some time now to ensure they remain aware of licensing responsibilities and to encourage the quick sharing of information relating to criminal activity.

The public also have a vital role to play in helping keep themselves safe, by taking some simple, yet effective steps that will minimise their risk of being the target of crime or having any form of contact with police.

Always hold onto your belongings when out and about and never leave any personal possessions unattended as this will reduce the likelihood of you becoming a victim of theft.

If you are planning a night out at any of the Festival attractions or taking advantage of the later licensing hours of our pubs and clubs, then please plan you evening in advance and know how you’re getting to and from your destination. Look after those in your company and if you have any concerns about the behaviour of anyone, either inside, or outside of a venue, then alert a member of staff or contact police.

I would also ask that you know your own limits when it comes to alcohol consumption and drink responsibly. If you are involved in a criminal offence, where alcohol has played a part, we can impose bail conditions that prevent you entering another licensed premises within the city centre until you have been to court. Don’t let your Festival experience be ruined by alcohol.

The safety of the public is our priority, and we would ask that the public work with us to make this a memorable Festival for all the right reasons.

Chief Inspector Paul Gillespie, Local Area Commander, South West Edinburgh