August 24, 2026 - 140 views
North Wales Police is strengthening its response to victims of domestic abuse by placing a dedicated specialist inside its Force Communications Centre.
The new role is part of the latest expansion of Raneem’s Law, a UK Government-backed initiative designed to bring specialist domestic abuse expertise into police control rooms.
The specialist will work directly alongside call handlers and dispatch staff, offering advice during live incidents and helping officers assess the level of risk facing victims.
The aim is to ensure that concerns about domestic abuse are identified as early as possible and that appropriate safeguarding and support are put in place from the first contact with police.
North Wales Police says having specialist expertise available within its communications centre will also support better decision-making during both emergency and non-emergency calls.
It is expected to help identify high-risk cases more effectively and strengthen links between police, partner organisations and specialist domestic abuse services across North Wales.
Detective Chief Inspector Zoie Dunkerley said the force was pleased to be involved in the latest phase of Raneem’s Law.
She said: “Embedding a domestic abuse specialist within our Force Communications Centre will strengthen our response to victims at the very first point of contact.
“Domestic abuse can have devastating and lifelong consequences, and we know that the first conversation with the police is often one of the most important.”
She added that having specialist advice immediately available would help police assess risk, provide appropriate support and put safeguarding measures in place more quickly.
The initiative is named in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother, Khaola Saleem, who were murdered in 2018 following repeated calls to police for help.
Raneem’s Law was developed following recommendations aimed at improving the police response to domestic abuse, including ensuring specialist advice is available at the point where critical decisions are being made.
North Wales Police is one of 12 additional police forces across England and Wales to receive funding under the latest phase of the programme.
The force says the new specialist role complements existing work with partner organisations to protect people at risk, hold perpetrators accountable and encourage victims to seek help.
DCI Dunkerley said: “We will continue to pursue those responsible and bring them to justice,” adding that the initiative should help give victims greater confidence to come forward.
The move represents a shift towards bringing domestic abuse expertise into the very first stage of the policing response, rather than relying solely on specialist teams becoming involved later in an investigation.
