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Man charged after police officer stabbed at Edinburgh College Man charged after police officer stabbed at Edinburgh College
(35 minutes later)
A man has been charged after a police officer was allegedly stabbed at a college campus in Edinburgh. Police have charged a 19-year-old man after a police officer was stabbed in the back at a college in north-west Edinburgh.
The Police Scotland constable suffered an injury to his back after being called to Edinburgh College in the Granton area of the city on Monday morning. The constable was injured after police responded to reports that a man with a knife was threatening self-harm at a campus for Edinburgh College in the Granton area shortly after 9am on Monday.
The officer, who is in his 20s, was taken by ambulance to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment. His injury was not life-threatening. The Police Scotland officer, in his 20s, who was wearing a standard issue stab-proof vest at the time, was taken to hospital with a non-life threatening injury. It is understood he will remain in hospital overnight and is likely to be discharged on Tuesday.
Police Scotland said they have charged a 19-year-old man in connection with the incident. He is expected to appear at Edinburgh sheriff court on Tuesday. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the use of unarmed officers to deal with such cases.
The incident, in a building within the campus on West Granton Road, happened at about 9.30am as police responded to a report of concern for an individual made some 20 minutes earlier. Calum Steele, the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said it had launched its own investigation into the incident and was likely to lodge a formal complaint.
Ch insp Stevie Sutherland, the area commander for north-west Edinburgh, said: “Our thoughts are with our colleague as he continues to recover from what is thankfully a non-life-threatening wound. This incident continues to be treated as isolated and we’re working closely with Edinburgh College to offer support to students and staff. Steele said the federation had raised concerns after similar incidents in the past. The SPF has argued for greater routine use of armed officers.
“There will be an increased police presence across the campus over the coming days and anyone with concerns is urged to speak to us or contact Edinburgh College’s student services department.” “Police officers feel vulnerable and feel exposed without adequate equipment,” he said. “The SPF continues to raise concerns over the practice of sending unarmed officers to deal with armed assailants, whether they be armed with knives or other weapons.”
Edinburgh College remained open on Monday in line with guidance from police. A spokesman for the college said: “The safety of our students and staff is our most important consideration and Police Scotland have confirmed this is an isolated incident.” Iain Livingstone, a deputy chief constable of Police Scotland, is due to visit the officer in hospital. “Police Scotland always takes the welfare of its officers very seriously. We continually keep officer safety under review and regular liaison takes place with staff associations around this issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, has raised questions about officers being properly equipped to deal with such incidents.
Deputy chief constable Iain Livingstone said: “Police Scotland always takes the welfare of its officers very seriously. We continually keep officer safety under review and regular liaison takes place with staff associations around this issue.
“As always, we will investigate this incident to see if there is anything to be learned from it. The officer’s injuries are thankfully not life-threatening and I intend to visit him tomorrow.”“As always, we will investigate this incident to see if there is anything to be learned from it. The officer’s injuries are thankfully not life-threatening and I intend to visit him tomorrow.”
Chf Insp Stevie Sutherland, the local area commander, said it was an isolated incident but there would be an increased police presence at the campus for several days to provide reassurance.
The 19-year-old man is due to appear at Edinburgh sheriff court on Tuesday .