Tackling rural crime was at the heart of a conference addressed by Cheshire Police top brass as well as members of community organisations.
Chief constable Simon Byrne and Cheshire police and crime commissioner John Dwyer were joined at the event in Willington Hall near Tarporley by rural and wildlife crime officers whose numbers have doubled.
On the agenda at Monday's (February 29) gathering was how police and partner organisations work together to tackle rural crime in Cheshire.
More than 100 attendees
More than 100 people attended the Rural Crime Conference including representatives from rural organisations who learned about the constabulary’s strategic vision with examples highlighted of this work in action.
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Attendees heard about improved links between rural areas and the police including telephone contact points like the one outside Tarporley Fire Station and the development of police community bases in venues such as village halls, allowing police and PCSOs to log onto the force network while on the patch.
And they learned about additional recruitment – doubling the number of dedicated rural and wildlife specialist officers.
It was also an opportunity to promote the success of the ‘100 Days of Rural Crime’ social media campaign – an initiative which highlighted what the force is doing every day to tackle the issues that plague residents living in the countryside – as well as the increasing membership of police-led initiatives such as Rural Watch and Horse Watch.
Police and crime commissioner John Dwyer, who is seeking re-election this May, insists he has been a long-time champion of protecting rural communities.
He said: “Tackling rural and wildlife crime remains a key priority for me. It can affect a person’s whole way of life and can really impact on communities.
“Nationally, initiatives such as the National Wildlife Crime Unit are at risk but in Cheshire we’ve increased our focus – something I am particularly pleased about and I was delighted to see so many people at the conference representing our rural communities.”
Cheshire Police says additional focus on policing rural communities is producing positive results. Last year there was a 12% reduction – 110 fewer crimes recorded across the county – while there was a 17.5% increase in the solved rates for rural crimes.
Furthermore, Her Majesty Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) recently praised the force for its effectiveness at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, which includes the rural area.
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Chief constable Simon Byrne said: “We have invested significant effort in tackling a critical issue for a force like Cheshire where two thirds of the community we police could be described as rural.
“It has been great to listen to progress and have a dialogue with local people who understand this issue about priorities for the year ahead.”
