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| History of the Search & Rescue Unit | |||||||||||||||||||
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In the early 1970s, as more people took to hill waking as a sport, more incidents occurred that needed a specialised response. Until that time, Police reaction had been to gather local experts in the area and form search and rescue squads. However, with the glens becoming less populated, it was apparent that this trend could not continue. In addition, the shepherds and estate workers had their own duties to perform without this additional burden placed upon them for no recompense. The Police recognised this and in 1973, in Angus Constabulary (now Eastern Division), a handful of officers were identified to deal with these incidents. Following regionalisation and the formation of Tayside Police in 1975, additional officers from Dundee and Perth joined the group, which was now responsible for a much greater area. Tayside Police Mountain Rescue Team was formed and it consisted of up to 20 officers, all volunteers, who regularly trained in the necessary skills. By the mid 1980s, the team was regularly being called to co-ordinate both low and high ground searches. To reflect the greater amount of non-mountain work, the name of the team was changed to the Tayside Police Search and Rescue Unit, and it remains so today. |
