Working together to keep city safe in fireworks season - Neil Wilson
As the nights draw in and the autumn chill settles over our beautiful city, Edinburgh prepares for one of it’s busiest and most challenging times of the year.
For most of our residents, Bonfire Night is a time for celebrations and community gatherings. However, for a small minority, it is used as an excuse for reckless, dangerous antisocial behaviour and criminality.
As the superintendent responsible for leading Operation Crackle, my message to the people of Edinburgh is clear: our priority is supporting your communities, protecting our emergency service colleagues and ensuring a robust, effective response to anyone seeking to disrupt our city.
Operation Crackle is our dedicated, multiagency response designed to tackle the disorder that has historically flared up during this season. We understand the deep anxiety and distress that fireworks misuse and targeted antisocial behaviour cause within our neighbourhoods. No one should feel unsafe in their own home nor should local businesses and transport providers be impacted through mindless targeting by a minority, seeking to cause damage within the communities in which they live.
Working alongside Fearless, Crimestoppers and the wider Edinburgh partnership we are making best use of community generated intelligence to target illicit firework stockpiles and disrupt networks supplying industrial grade pyrotechnics before they can be weaponised.
Over the coming days you will see a significantly increased presence of high-visibility officers patrolling key areas across Edinburgh. These community-based officers are the primary response, working directly on the ground to deter disorder before it begins.
Crucially, our local teams are supported by specialised national resources through our close alignment with Operations Moonbeam and Amberlight, which will ensure we have immediate access to public order officers to respond swiftly and decisively to any escalating criminal activity.
However, policing this period successfully relies heavily on collaboration. We are working closely with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Ambulance Service, the City of Edinburgh Council and a wider range of other partners across the Capital. Together, we are proactively identifying and removing illegal bonfires and stockpiled materials before they can be lit or used as missiles.
We are also appealing directly to parents, guardians and community leaders. Please speak to your young people about the severe dangers and criminal consequences of setting fires or misusing fireworks. Throwing a firework is not a prank; it is an act of culpable and reckless conduct that can cause life-altering injuries or worse.
To those intent on causing disorder: our officers will utilise all available legislation, including Dispersal Orders and powers conferred by the Firework Control Zones which have been implemented in 14 areas across the city.
To the law-abiding majority: please remain vigilant. If you see suspicious behaviour, stockpiled materials, or illegal firework sales, report it to us immediately via 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.
By standing together and looking out for one another, we can ensure that Edinburgh remains a safe, welcoming and vibrant capital city for everyone this autumn.
Superintendent Neil Wilson Edinburgh Division