North Wales Police set to use old school in Ruthin for firearms training

North Wales Police have taken over a former school building for firearms training. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Officers will be using the old Rhos Street school site in Ruthin for the training but one community leader is unhappy about what she said was a lack of notice given to nearby residents. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The school shut in 2018 when it moved to another part of the town. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Since then the building has lain empty but for the next few weeks the site will see training inside the building on and on open fields. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Chief Superintendent Nigel Harrison said: “Firearms training is vitally important to keep the public safe. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

We try to use numerous venues to make our training as realistic as possible so that officers are as well prepared as they can be.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

We are only using this venue one day a week during daylight hours and will not be using live ammunition. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

We are grateful as ever to those that provide the venues and also the local community, who will see an increased police presence and potentially some limited noise.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Our local PCSO and the training team have engaged with the community.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

We are always happy to discuss concerns with any member of the community.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The training has not involved real guns or live ammunition according to a post on the North Wales Police Conwy and Denbighshire Rural Facebook page. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

But Clwyd West Labour parliamentary candidate, Jo Thomas, said residents had contacted her complaining that they had not been told what was happening at the site. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She said: “I’ve been contacted by residents who stated how shocked they were when they first heard the noise followed by the sight of armed police. I appreciate that our police need to be trained but is the best place for this in a disused school located in a residential area? ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“There are a number of vulnerable people living in the proximity of this site. Who on earth would have given permission for this without even consulting with local residents before starting this exercise?” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Ruthin county councillor, Huw Hilditch-Roberts, did not see any problem with the exercise. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “My understanding is the police have been liaising with residents and if there are any issues I am happy to take them forward. But I have not had anyone raise it with me.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: “North Wales Police currently has a licence to use the site for training purposes.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Shane Brennan – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Latest News