Police officers in Edinburgh and the Lothians have been hailed for their lifesaving acts of bravery and commitment to their communities.
A national awards ceremony will recognise officers from the capital who faced an attack by a scissors-wielding criminal and his rabid dog, a sergeant who has tackled motorbike thefts, and inspector who reduced crime in Hunter Square, and a detective sergeant who has served the city for more than 30 years.
Two police officers are also nominated for transforming community relations in the north of Edinburgh thanks to their tireless work with local secondary schools.
Elsewhere in the region, a team of officers rescued a stolen baby from a notorious West Lothian drugs den, fighting off aggressive drug users.
A brave officer based in Bonnyrigg in Midlothian was stabbed and slashed by a violent male, but still managed to bring a domestic incident to an end.
And an East Lothian special constable, who sadly passed away recently, has been hailed by colleagues for his commitment to policing.
Across Scotland, a total of 29 officers, including constables, sergeants, detectives and inspectors, have been shortlisted in six categories for the Scottish Police Federation’s annual awards which take place this week.
David Threadgold, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “Reading through the nominations for this year’s awards is a humbling experience and demonstrates the extraordinary bravery and commitment shown by our officers.
“The situations dealt with by police serving our communities can sometimes be extremely dangerous, and none of us should ever take what they do for granted.
“Our annual awards are a moment to recognise those who go above and beyond to keep the public safe with dignity and resolve, before coming back to work to do it all again.
“We are incredibly proud of all the nominees and are grateful to each of them for their amazing achievements. They are a credit to themselves and to Scottish policing.”
Chief Constable Jo Farrell said: “The bravery, dedication, skill and professionalism of our officers is hugely impressive and I thank the Scottish Police Federation for shining a light on some of their outstanding work.
“These awards are an important night in the policing calendar, when we recognise and celebrate our officers for their vital public service.
“I thank all officers and their families for everything they do for policing and our communities and offer warm congratulations to nominees and recipients.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
