THE POLICE and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for West Mercia has welcomed an £800,000 funding boost to tackle rural crime across the country, writes Chinaza Eke.
John Campion has spoken about the importance of tackling rural crime following the investment announcement from the Policing Minister Sarah Jones.
It was made at the National Rural Crime Network conference, which was attended by Deputy PCC Marc Bayliss, who sits on the network’s national project delivery group for serious organised rural crime.
The cash will come from the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the National Rural Crime Unit.
This will help increase co-ordinated efforts across law enforcement, politicians, the farming community and insurers to stop rural crime.
The West Mercia Policing area makes it vulnerable to rural crime as – according to data from DEFRA – it is home to 8,451 farms – more than double the number in Lincolnshire, which has the second highest total of 3,431.
Mr Campion said: “Rural crime is a key commitment within my Safer Communities Plan, so I welcome this additional funding to support local efforts to prevent crime and bring offenders to justice but it’s just one part of the solution.
“Rural crime is complex, with our rural communities facing a number of crimes that can often be complex.
“That’s why I will continue to amplify their concerns and ensure everything possible is being done to provide them with the policing service they expect and deserve.”
To ensure people living in often isolated rural communities feel safe, the PCC has already taken substantial action.
This has included funding five Rural and Business Crime Officers across West Mercia and investing £190,232-a-year into the force’s ‘We Don’t Buy Crime’ scheme.
This is a four strand programme aimed at preventing acquisitive crime in towns and villages and includes the roll-out of SmartWater.
West Mercia Police call handlers have also received dedicated rural crime training, through a partnership with the NFU, following concerns from farmers about how their reports were being understood and managed.
