New team launched to further improve rural crime response
A new rural crime policing team is being launched to crack down on crime and better support people living and working in rural communities.
The Neighbourhood Rural Crime Team will work with officers across the county to tackle recurring and emerging issues, improve outcomes for victims and help prevent crime.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said the team's introduction followed extensive engagement by him and the force with the rural community, and meant the force now had one of the best rural crime policing offers in the country.
The team, based at Ollerton Police Station, is an extension of the existing neighbourhood policing offer and will bring together four officers with a dedicated focus on rural crime.
The four officers will receive enhanced training to investigate crimes including
• the theft of farm machinery
• wildlife offences such as poaching
• criminal damage caused by off-road vehicles
• and fuel theft.
With shift patterns covering day and night, the team will focus on engagement, intelligence gathering, the investigation of offences, arrests, seizures and proactive operations based on emerging crime trends.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: "I truly believe Nottinghamshire Police now has one of the best rural policing offers around.
"We have listened to the rural community and have enhanced and adapted the service to meet their needs.
"The introduction of this new Neighbourhood Rural Policing Team further enhances what was already an incredibly good rural resource, with more than 40 officers with enhanced rural crime training and significant investment in specialist vehicles and equipment over a number of years.
"Not only that, there is a close working relationship with the rural community itself through the Rural Watch scheme and we have empowered rural crime victims to safeguard their properties through the drones that I have funded which they can use to deter and capture evidence of rural crime.
"This all goes to show that we recognise the importance of tackling rural crime and are committed to supporting our rural communities."
Nottinghamshire Police has been working for several years to improve its response in rural areas and now has one of the most extensive rural neighbourhood policing networks in the country.
As well as investing heavily in new vehicles and equipment such as 4x4s, quad bikes and night-vision goggles, the force has given additional training to officers already working in rural areas.
In addition to those more than 40 officers with enhanced training, the Neighbourhood Rural Crime Team will provide an additional dedicated focus on issues that are unique or particularly damaging to rural communities, including:
• The theft of high-value farm machinery and equipment such as tractor GPS systems
• Livestock theft
• Fuel and metal theft
• Hare coursing and poaching
• Other wildlife crime
• Fly-tipping
• The nuisance use of off-road vehicles
Superintendent Chris Sutcliffe said: “Rural crime is about far more than the individual offences we respond to. It is ultimately about people's livelihoods, their quality of life and even how safe they feel in their homes.
“In recent years we have listened to the concerns of our rural communities and taken action where we can improve our response.
“We already have a strong network of neighbourhood officers working across our rural communities, supported by better equipment, additional training and strong relationships with our partners.
“This team builds on that approach. These are neighbourhood officers who will work alongside our existing neighbourhood teams, but with the time, training and focus to look more closely at rural demand and develop longer-term solutions to the problems affecting those communities.
“That means not simply responding when an offence happens, but identifying patterns, targeting those responsible and working with communities and partners to prevent problems from happening again.
“The new team gives us additional focus and capability while remaining firmly part of our wider neighbourhood policing offer.”
Team member PC Hollie Marsh said:
"I am extremely passionate about joining this team and making a difference.
"We know that people living and working in isolated areas can feel particularly vulnerable and unsafe. I want to show heightened patrols, more Police presence and immediate action when responding to incidents.
"Offences such as high value equipment theft and criminal damage caused by illegal off-road vehicles can be devastating to farmers and land owners.
"Those who are experiencing in-direct Wildlife Crime have also been greatly affected.
"I am hoping this new team can be pioneering in safeguarding and stopping those who are using animals to commit crime such as hunting and poaching.
"It is a pleasure to be a part of this team and to be tackling the issues which mean the most to the agricultural communities and villages."