Frightening numbers of children in possession of knives
Photo showing a teenage boy / youth wearing a blue hoodie and standing beside a brick wall in an overgrown alleyway, in a run-down part of the city.
Children as young as ten are being caught with knives, drugs, and other suspicious items according to a police report.
The data published by the Scottish Police Authority detailed that between April and September 2024, kids between ten and 17 were responsible for 123 cases where a weapon was found during stop and search.
The findings account for over 25% of positive weapon searches across all age groups.
Labour MSP Katy Clark said: “The fact that children still young enough to play with toys are walking around with potential murder weapons is deeply disturbing.” via 1919 Magazine.
Scottish Police Federation Chair David Threadgold said: “Police officers who face members of the public in possession of knives or any other weapon are required to make immediate decisions to try to de-escalate those situations, and there are occasions where it is simply impossible to establish the age of the person involved.
Police Scotland performed a slew of stops and searches last year, recording almost 19,000 incidents in the April to September period, nearly 16% more than last year.
Over 88% of reviewed stop and searches this year were deemed compliant and correctly recorded on the stop and search database.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland said: “The carrying of weapons is a complex issue with social, psychological and environmental factors all contributing.”
