Hampshire police make improvements to rural crime response

Despite these challenges, rural policing in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has seen improvements.

This was highlighted at the Rural Engagement Forum, where countryside communities met with senior police leaders at Apsley Farms, near Andover.

Henry du Val de Beaulieu, owner of Apsley Farms, with PCC Donna Jones and ACC Tara McGovern. (Image: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner)

The collective of landowners, farmers and gamekeepers acknowledged the positive change in police response over the last year.

However, they felt that day-to-day contact with neighbourhood policing teams could be better

There was increasing confidence that local officers now recognise the range of rural crimes, with Local Bobby training now encompassing significant rural elements, backed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and National Farmers Union (NFU).

Training extended to covering the economic impact of equipment and livestock thefts on businesses, industry challenges and mental health challenges faced by farmers, landowners and gamekeepers.

Police and crime commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones said: "We have a large county police force, and we have been on a journey.

"Rural crime was not prioritised properly over the last decade, we are now recovering from that.

"Ultimately though, charge rates are going up in the rural community, crime rates are coming down, and the community are getting a good response time from police in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. That is most encouraging."

PCC Donna Jones meets with farmers and landowners to discuss rural policing issues. (Image: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner)

Assistant Chief Constable Tara McGovern, force lead for local policing, said: "It is important to understand the reality of the impact of crimes and policing on the rural community.

"These landowners, farmers and gamekeepers are key stakeholders for us who are at the heart of their communities, and they are telling us about improvements they’ve seen in our policing, but that they’d like to see more. I would also like to see more.

"We’ve heard that what we are doing in rural areas is better now than it was 12 months ago, but there are always further improvements to be made."

The Rural Crime Task Force has been taking a proactive approach to dealing with hare coursing, using drones and understanding it is often the same people responsible for that activity as well as fish poaching and waste crime.

The PCC’s Rural Engagement Forum will merge with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Rural Crime Partnership from the New Year.