Draft article: Andrew Learmonth 2026-08-11 15:28

Police officers are being "encouraged not to arrest people", the general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation has claimed. David Kennedy told BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast programme that the justice system itself had changed how officers behaved on the street. His comments were in response to a letter sent to The Herald by Chief Superintendent Rob Hay, president of the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents. Read more Man in hospital with serious injuries after 'disturbance' near city park Man charged over ‘racist assault on delivery driver’ in city centre We're failing our young people. They'll pay a high price for our weakness on vapes In it, Mr Hay said Police Scotland's own figures showed crime rose by around 10% in 2025/26, alongside a similar rise in calls to the poli