Force open day brings Fed members together with local communities

2 June 2026

North Wales Police’s 2026 open day proved an overwhelming success last weekend with many Federation members involved in the festivities.

The Force welcomed thousands of visitors to its headquarters in Colwyn Bay for an occasion of fun, education and community engagement.

Officers, staff and volunteers were brought together with members of the public, who were able to enjoy a wide array of demonstrations and attractions provided by both the hosts and other emergency services and partner agencies.

Ahead of the event, the Force outlined its intention for the ‘human side’ of policing to be celebrated at the open day, putting an emphasis not only on achievements and high-quality work but also the people behind them.

Action from the open day (pic courtesy of North Wales Police)

This saw the attendance of various specialised units including firearms, drones, dogs and roads policing – tying into the event’s key messaging around road safety.

In the space of a few hours, guests were treated to a police dog show, a visit from a police helicopter, a joint fire and ambulance exhibition, and many more interactive activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Alongside these displays, there was a heartfelt presentation based on Olivia’s Story – an initiative created in tribute to 17-year-old local Olivia Alkir, who tragically lost her life in a road traffic collision on the outskirts of Ruthin in June 2019.

The presentation reflected on this story and the lessons it taught around the prevention of deaths and serious injuries on roads in the future.

Families

This central theme was also marked through a seminar encouraging safer riding techniques among motorcyclists and highlighting the benefits of attending a BikeSafe workshop to improve such skills and knowledge.

Present at the open day – the first within North Wales Police for two years – was Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, who praised the event for creating a positive environment for families and residents to engage directly with Force personnel in.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted with the success of this year’s open day. It was fantastic to see so many people attend and engage with officers, staff and our partner organisations. Events like this are incredibly important in helping us build trust, strengthen relationships, and give people a better understanding of the work we do every day across North Wales.”

Federation chair Trystan Bevan echoed these sentiments as he spoke of his satisfaction at branch members having the chance to be appreciated for everything they do in their jobs.

Demanding

“As much as this event was about welcoming the public in and giving them a day to remember, it was also an opportunity for officers and their families to enjoy themselves too,” Trystan said.

“Usually, if an officer is representing their force, they must be switched onto their duties and ready to complete yet more sacrifices for the sake of the public – so for them to be able to represent outside of any demanding work setting is very much welcomed.

“Instead of normal service, they can remind the communities they serve that they are indeed just regular people by socialising and interacting with them.

“I hope every Federation member involved on the day got something great out of it, and that the next event of its kind isn’t too far away in the future."

READ MORE: Fed rep Kris focused on supporting supervisors.