August 28, 2026 - 218 views
North Wales Police has launched what it says is the first Police Mountain Rescue Support Team of its kind in England and Wales, aimed at strengthening the response to incidents in some of the region's most challenging terrain.
The new team has been created to provide additional specialist police support during incidents involving vulnerable people or volatile situations in mountainous and rural areas.
The officers will work alongside established mountain rescue teams and other emergency services, particularly where people may be at risk of harming themselves or others and where reaching them could be difficult.
North Wales attracts millions of visitors to its mountains and rural landscapes every year, including popular areas such as Eryri, the Clwydian Range and the Berwyn Mountains.
While the landscape is a major attraction, it can also present significant challenges for emergency services. Steep terrain, rapidly changing weather, poor mobile phone coverage and difficult access can all complicate rescue operations.
North Wales Police says the new team is intended to improve its ability to operate safely and effectively in those circumstances.
Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman said the creation of the team was a “significant step forward” in protecting both communities and visitors.
“Our officers regularly operate in some of the most challenging environments in the country, and this dedicated team will enhance our effectiveness, improve public safety, and further strengthen our partnership working with mountain rescue teams and other emergency services,” she said.
The officers will continue in their normal day-to-day policing roles, but will have the additional specialist mountain rescue support skill and can be deployed when required.
The move is also intended to strengthen cooperation between police and the region's established volunteer mountain rescue organisations.
Mountain rescue teams across North Wales regularly respond to incidents involving walkers, climbers and other outdoor users, often operating in difficult conditions and at considerable personal risk.
The police team is not intended to replace those specialist volunteer rescue services. Instead, it will provide an additional policing capability when incidents require it.
North Wales Police says the initiative reflects the particular operational demands created by the region's geography and the growing popularity of its outdoor destinations.
It comes as emergency services continue to encourage people heading into the mountains to prepare properly, check weather conditions, carry appropriate equipment and know their route.
For North Wales, the new team could provide another layer of specialist support when an incident develops in terrain where a conventional emergency response is not straightforward.
