West Yorkshire Police to Host National Police Dog Trials 2026

West Yorkshire Police To Host National Police Dog Trials

West Yorkshire Police is proud to announce it will be hosting this year’s National Police Dog Trials – a prestigious event bringing together the UK’s top police dog teams.

The 64th annual competition will be held in May, with members of the public invited to join them for the final day of the contest on Saturday 16 May which will be a free to attend family event at Nostell.

The competition involves a total of 21 police dogs and handlers from forces across the country and showcases their exceptional skills, dedication and service to public safety.

It will be held across multiple locations and sees the competitors taking part in three phases:

● Tracking: Dogs demonstrate their ability to track a person using their residual scent, recovering property on the way.

● Searching: Dogs search a building or area for hidden suspects

● Criminal work, obedience and agility: Dogs chase and detain suspects making off and are tested on their courage during weapon attacks. This phase also assesses heelwork and agility.

Superintendent Nicola Brown said: “Every day police dog units work to help keep communities safe across West Yorkshire and the country.

“Our dogs consistently demonstrate incredible results detaining dangerous offenders, finding missing and vulnerable people and recovering vital evidence from crime scenes.

“They play an important role in tackling crime and keeping people safe and we can’t wait to give the public an opportunity to see just how skilled they really are.”

The family day at Nostell will give members of the public the opportunity to watch the closing stages of the competition and enjoy demonstrations from operational police dogs, police horses and other police departments and partner agencies.

There will also be stalls and family friendly activities to enjoy. More details about the event and how to get tickets will be announced in due course, keep checking www.westyorkshire.police.uk/NationalDogTrials2026

Lauren Lewsley, Visitor Experience and Operations Manager at Nostell, said: “We’re really pleased to be hosting the National Police Dog Trials at Nostell. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring something new and exciting to the parkland, with plenty of action for visitors to enjoy.

“We know the event will really appeal to many of our regular parkland visitors, as well as attract people who may be visiting Nostell for the first time. We hope it creates a memorable day out, welcoming our local community and visitors from across the region for a fun, accessible and family-friendly event.”