Cheshire unveils its new rural policing strategy

Cheshire Police has today published its rural and wildlife policing strategy which outlines how it will tackle these crimes from now until 2021.

Its launch coincides with the National Rural Crime Day of Action, where police forces up and down the country are showing their commitment to tackling rural issues.

The strategy has been developed in response to the local and national rural crime surveys and following extensive feedback from Cheshire residents as part of a consultation led by the county’s police and crime commissioner, David Keane.

 In the strategy, the commissioner sets out five commitments to Cheshire residents to tackle rural and wildlife crime. They are:

·       To provide a dedicated PCSO for Cheshire’s 26 rural communities and ensure every PCSO is trained in tackling rural issues.

·       To ensure every major rural event is attended by specialist rural officers, that PCSOs visit all farming premises in the county on an annual basis and that             each rural community is supported by two nights of rural action per year.

·       To ensure each of Cheshire’s 26 rural communities has a dedicated Rural Watch scheme in place to prevent rural and wildlife crime.

·       To deliver both prevention and enforcement of rural road safety issues.

·       To work with neighbouring forces and partners to target those who commit rural crime in Cheshire.

David said: “I’m proud to be launching Cheshire’s new rural and wildlife policing strategy which sets out a real commitment to supporting rural communities.

“This initiative has already increased the visibility of police in rural areas and this strategy will further increase that visibility with officers and PCSOs attending all major rural events and spending more time in rural communities to tackle road safety issues.

“Whilst they are relatively safe already, I am confident that the priorities outlined in this strategy demonstrate our commitment to our rural communities and will make them even safer.”