UK News

As SARworld reported last week the 50th Anniversary National Police Dog Trials were hosted by Lincolnshire Police last weekend.

The three day competition put some the country's highly skilled and experienced police dog handlers and dogs through their paces in exercises which tested a wide range of abilities such as tracking, searching, stand off, weapon attack, obedience and crowd control. Each of the 23 competitors undertook the various exercises in locations throughout the county. This culminated in the final day, held on Sunday 9th May at Lincolnshire Police Headquarters, in conjunction with the Force Open Day.

Read more: National Police Dog Trials 2010

The provision dates for the 2011 Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) Conference were announced yesterday at the ALSAR AGM. 

As was disclosed on the SARworld Forums yesterday the second ALSAR Conference will be held on the 9/10/11th September 2011.

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Last year's ALSAR Conference included presentations on UK SAR, Missing Person Behaviour, Water Safety, Medical Governance and Search Techniques alongside exhibitions and social activities.

The Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) held their AGM yesterday in Woburn Sands and elected new Executive Officers to take the group forward.

Adrian Edwards from Wiltshire Search and Rescue (Wilsar) remains Chairman but is now supported in the role by Steve Bavin from Sussex Search and Rescue (Sussar) in the role of Vice Chairman. Jennie Webster from ISIS Search and Rescue (ISIS SAR) takes on the role of ALSAR Secretary, whilst Paul Lewis from Kent Search and Rescue (KSAR) takes on the Training Officer role. Paul Chapman from SEBEV (Berkshire) Search and Rescue remains as Treasurer.

Adrian Edwards in his Chair's report for the previous year highlighted the achievements of the past twelve months including the ALSAR Conference, the setting up of four new committees for PR, Research & Development, Medical governance and Training, and the recruitment of West Midlands Search and Rescue as a probationary team.

Two additional teams were also granted probationary status at the AGM - Community Rescue Services in Northern Ireland and Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Search and Rescue Team.

ALSAR also announced that it is working with Buckinghamshire New University to accredit it's search training courses.

Hertfordshire Police are carrying out an internal inquiry into their response to a missing person investigation last month, where a misper's family waited four days to be informed of his death.

The misper was last seen on Friday 16th April and was reported missing by his parents on Saturday 17th April. A missing person appeal was put out by Hertfordshire Police on Monday 19th April and was run in the local paper on Wednesday. The misper, however, had died at Northwick Park tube station on the Friday night but his body was only identified on Wednesday.

A police spokesperson is quoted as saying: "On the evening of Friday, April 16, Hertfordshire Constabulary was informed of a fatal accident at Northwick Park station.

"The identity of the person was not known at the time and an investigation by British Transport Police commenced.

"On Saturday, April 17, the family of Matthew Cassar reported him missing to Hertfordshire Constabulary.

"As with any missing person inquiry, officers will do all they can to ensure the person is found as soon as possible, and extensive inquiries and searches were made to trace Matthew.

"The information provided to Hertfordshire Constabulary on Friday, April 16, was not linked to the subsequent report from Matthew's family of his disappearance, which we sincerely regret.

"While this would not have changed the tragic circumstances of what happened, it would have ended sooner the uncertainty for Matthew's family.

"As a constabulary, we quickly recognised that there was an issue with linking the information we had been given and, as a result of this, we are currently looking at any lessons to be learnt.

"Our sympathies are with Matthew's family. Specially trained family liaison officers are supporting them at this extremely difficult time."

A Hertfordshire Police Officer told SARworld that they have asked the NPIA to assist them in reviewing their response but reiterated that "whatever the police response, tragically he was dead already."