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TV series reveals the demand police face from missing people

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EVERY year, thousands of people are reported missing to Dyfed-Powys Police, and a new TV series is about to showcase the hard work and determination that goes in to finding them.

From people going missing under tragic circumstances, and those intent on not being found, to children skipping school, and even those who don’t realise they are missing – a range of cases will be featured in S4C series Ar Goll.

Handler at Force Control Centre

The series follows the work of call handlers and incident managers who deal with the initial response to missing people reports, to the policing teams that do all they can to find them and ensure they are safe.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Richard Lewis said: “The work that goes on to find missing people is a huge demand on the force, and not one that many people are aware of.

A lot of the enquiries our staff and officers undertake go on behind the scenes, and there are a huge number of missing people who are found very quickly without the need for a public appeal for information.

“It is only in five per cent of all cases that we ask for the public’s help in locating someone who has been reported missing, so it is impossible for the public to truly comprehend how much of our resources are tied up looking for missing people.”

In 2018, call handlers in the force control centre took 3,030 calls from people reporting their family members, friends, colleagues and pupils missing. Many were found within minutes, while in other cases searches lasted days, weeks, and even months.

During the six-part series, ITV Wales’s production team was given access to different stages of missing people enquiries, shadowing police search advisor (POLSA) officers, dog handlers, NPAS helicopters, the marine unit and partner organisations including Coastguard, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, and mountain rescue teams.

Police tape at scene

During the first episode, a rare insight is given into the workings of the control room at Dyfed-Powys Police headquarters in Carmarthen, where staff respond to 999 and 101 calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Film crews followed call handlers, dispatchers and incident managers as they directed policing teams to find two missing 10-year-old schoolboys in Llanelli. Last year, 185 young people were reported missing from education premises, and FCC staff admitted tensions were always high when children were missing.

Speaking in the first episode, Force Incident Manager Chief Inspector Dyfed Bolton said: “We have just had a call from a school in the Llanelli area to say that two pupils have jumped over the fence and have disappeared.

“With any call about a missing child, we need to look at their age – we are dealing with something different if it is a 15-year-old or an eight-year-old. Younger children might not realise how busy the roads can be, they might not know who they can trust to speak to, and they don’t always look at the risks when they are playing with no adults around.”

As time goes on, with no sign of the children, resources are drafted in from other areas, and the risk grading to the children is elevated to high. Concern rises for control room staff.

“The risk is that these children could become injured or come to some harm,” Chief Inspector Bolton said. “They could head somewhere to cool down, like a pond, so I’m asking officers to check those areas.

“It is always a tense time when young children are missing.”

From young people to the elderly, the series also follows the search for an 80-year-old woman with dementia who went missing from her home in Carmarthenshire, as well as enquiries lasting more than two weeks to trace a man who disappeared after getting on a bus.

Over six weeks, viewers will be taken through fast-pace searches, high-pressured decision-making, and will witness the frustration, relief and tragedy officers and staff are faced with daily.

Hearing from family members and even the people reported missing themselves, viewers will gain an understanding of the factors that lead people to disappear and the impact this has on their loved ones.

Ar Goll episode one will air on S4C at 9pm on Wednesday, February 27.

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Crime

Police appeal for information after several tractors stolen

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POLICE officers in Pembrokeshire investigating a theft from several tractors, which happened overnight between April 17-18, 2024.

The tractors had been in a field near to Loch Turfin, Haverfordwest.

Included in the stolen items were vehicle keys, tools and waterproof clothing.

A spokesperson said “Police are now appealing for anyone with information that could help them with their investigation to contact PC 772 Boyt either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 101.

“Quote reference: 24*355571”

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Community

Pembrokeshire firefighters help deliver fire engines to Ukraine

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FIRE services from across the United Kingdom have rallied together to donate vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, amidst ongoing conflicts that have seen local fire stations and firefighters come under direct attack.

The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) was at the forefront of this international goodwill effort, donating three fire appliances and dispatching nine of their personnel to ensure safe delivery.

The initiative, coordinated by Fire Aid UK, involved a total of 11 UK fire services. Over a grueling 5.5-day journey that spanned several countries—starting from Kent Fire and Rescue Service and moving through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and into Poland—33 fire appliances were transported to a location just 20 miles from the Ukraine border. They left Kent on April 23.

This convoy, laden with not just fire engines but also 3000 items of critical firefighting gear including cutting equipment, fire hoses, first aid kits, and generators, was a sight of resilience and humanitarian commitment. Watch Manager Rob MakePeace, a Business Fire Safety Officer, and Watch Manager Keith Jenkins, who is retired but still oversees part-time personnel at Haverfordwest, played pivotal roles in the operation from Pembrokeshire.

Speaking on the experience, Keith Jenkins expressed the profound impact of the mission, “It was a fantastic experience to be involved in. The convoy itself was an amazing sight, but the people we met, places we stayed and the reason we were delivering the appliances was something we will remember for a long time.”

The donation comes at a critical time for Ukraine, where daily attacks have not only jeopardized the lives of local firefighters but have also devastated much of the essential infrastructure needed to fight fires effectively. The additional appliances and equipment from the UK are expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of the Ukrainian fire departments, providing them with the necessary tools to save lives and protect property under dire circumstances.

This act of generosity and the strenuous efforts by the UK firefighters underscore a deep commitment to aiding those in peril, transcending borders and showcasing the best of international cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

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News

Protest outside Stephen Crabb’s office over Rwanda deportations

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SUPPORTERS of West Wales Stand Up to Racism group will attend a protest outside the office of Stephen Crabb MP in Market Street at 6pm on Tuesday evening (May 7).

The protest is to highlight the inhumane scheme to send refugees to Rwanda.

Since the Rwanda Bill was finally passed last week, refugees have already been identified, detained and are being prepared to be flown to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed there.

Rushi Sunak has said “To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200.

“To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained, dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting. To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary has made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.”

The protestors are asking: why is all this money being spent when these vulnerable people could have their asylum claims dealt with in the UK?

If the Prime Minister hoped his Rwanda plan would help get more votes for the Conservative Party in the recent elections, it would appear he was mistaken.

A new report from the Refugee Council warns that the UK Government’s flagship Illegal Migration Act and Rwanda Plan will lead to another catastrophic “system meltdown”, trapping over 100,000 people in permanent limbo while costing taxpayers billions.

West Wales Stand Up to Racism has campaigned against the Government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda from the time this scheme was first suggested.

Supporters have previously met with Simon Hart MP and attempted to deliver a giant postcard to his office.

The group has taken part in the online Hands in Protest project organised by Artisan Avenue, Tenby which allowed everyone to express on line how they felt about Rwanda by submitting drawings of their own hands. The collective Hands In Protest gives a powerful message that the Rwanda plan should be stopped.

The organisers said: “Supporters will be once more taking the giant postcard on Tuesday, to protest about the Rwanda scheme. We will have small post cards for supporters to write messages to Stephen Crabb, telling him how strongly we feel about this.

“All over the UK, anti-racists are picketing Home Office buildings to show their opposition to the Rwanda scheme and are trying to prevent arrests and giving support to the refugees being arrested and detained.

“West Wales Stand Up to Racism supporters want to make their voices heard too.”

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