Rural Crime Patrol Books for Warwickshire Officers

Rural crime is defined as any crime occurring in a rural area as defined by the 2011 Office of National Statistics Rural Urban Classification, this includes hamlets, isolated dwellings and village output areas.

In practice, the force’s rural crime strategy focuses on tackling issues more prevalent in rural communities such as theft of agriculture equipment, poaching, illegal fishing, and wildlife crime.

The guide was funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire and produced by Carol Cotterill, Rural Crime Officer. It was rolled out to officers in South Warwickshire last week following its successful introduction in the north of the county.

Inspector Dave Kettle said: “Large parts of Warwickshire are rural so it is important we do everything we can to support these communities and address the crimes that impact on them and their livelihoods.

“Officers are used to dealing with a wide range of offences and these often become second nature to them. This isn’t always the case with certain types of rural crime such as poaching, wildlife crimes and heritage crime, which officers may rarely come across.

“The guide provides them with the information they need at a quick glance so they can provide our rural communities with a high quality service.”

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “Our officers come from a mix of different backgrounds and there may be differences in the knowledge of the countryside and the sorts of offences that can be committed there. These guidance booklets will help all officers when they deal with incidents in rural areas and so I am pleased to see them being rolled out county-wide. It’s another example of the good work which is being carried out through the funding I provide for the Rural Crime Project.”

For more information on the force’s rural crime strategy and rural crime prevention advice go to www.warwickshire.police.uk/RuralCrime or www.warwickshireruralwatch.co.uk