A 14-year-old boy was found with a firearm during a police stop-and-search in Fife.
The youngster was searched in the Leven, Kennoway and Largo ward of the kingdom in September.
It was one of several incidents where pre-teen children in Tayside and Fife were caught with weapons, drugs or stolen items by police during stop-and-searches between April and September 2024.
The Scottish Police Federation – which represents rank-and-file officers – says a reduction of officers in schools and communities means “preventative” opportunities are being missed.
Boy aged 12 found with stolen property in Dundee
Analysis of stop-and-search data, published by 1919 Magazine, shows a boy aged 12 and two girls, aged 14, were also found in possession of stolen property in Dundee.
A 15-year-old boy was found in possession of a class B substance and a bladed weapon during a search in Perth city centre.
And a 14-year-old boy in the Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim ward was also found in possession of a class B substance.
No further details have been revealed about the firearm incident, such as the type of weapon involved.
David Threadgold, Scottish Police Federation chair, 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.
“Officers are trained and understand that their actions must be justifiable and subject to the appropriate scrutiny.
“As police officers have largely withdrawn from school environments, the visibility of the police in our communities is less – and the police are seen in communities as merely a reactive force.
“Along with a reducing – if any – preventative element to policing, opportunities are being missed to develop the type of relationships and intelligence gathering that may form part of the solution to this.”
Work to reduce harm and violence
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland said: “The carrying of weapons is a complex issue with social, psychological and environmental factors all contributing.
“Police Scotland works hard with local communities and a range of partners, including the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, with a shared goal of preventing harm, reducing violence and improving the lives of our young people and our communities.
“Stop-and-search, which is intelligence-led, is a valuable and effective policing tactic that helps us keep people safe in many different ways.
“This tactic must be used lawfully, proportionately and in line with the code of practice.”
The Scottish Government says it has invested more than £4 million over the last two years on violence prevention.
Conversation