CLA and Thames Valley Police update meeting

Members representing Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire along with the CLA's Tim Bamford, Rosie Salt-Crockford and Lucy Charman met with Thames Valley Police (TVP) for a rural crime update recently.

Chief Constable Jason Hogg, Assistant Chief Constable Christian Blunt, Ch/Insp Andy O’Hanlon and Rural Crime Taskforce lead Inspector Stu Hutchings were in attendance.

Tim set the scene for the meeting by sharing some of the key challenges currently impacting landowners. CLA members then had an opportunity to highlight their main concerns which included hare coursing, the firearms licensing process, the correct use of WhatsApp and reporting methods, community policing resource, rural skills training and rural speeding.

In turn, a number of points were raised by TVP regarding information flow, with the need for increased reporting. Any crime in progress should be reported to 999 – this will enable call handlers to triage calls and prioritise resources. If members believe a crime has been committed but do not see it in progress or are concerned or see something suspicious, they should call 101 or report it online. All rural calls are reviewed by control room coordinators and information shared to build up crime profiles and recognise trends.

The force has worked hard to reduce 101 waiting times, currently down to two minutes. It was emphasised that WhatsApp should only be used as for information sharing as it is not constantly monitored and crimes should always be reported using 999 and 101 as appropriate.

In addition to emphasising the need to continue reporting, it is vital that members look to mark or tag their equipment so that in the event of a theft and recovery situation, property can be returned to its owner. Apple itags hidden in expensive equipment and DNA marking of tools and machinery can all aid recovery of stolen goods and locating offenders not only for individual crimes, but more often linked to serious organised criminality.

Illegal off-roading incidents are increasing in the area and any member witnessing activity in progress should report the location (ideally using the What3Words app) stating the direction of travel to aid interception. There is a worrying trend for crimes to be filmed and shared on social media prompting others to copy, some social media channels are monitored by TVP to try and tackle this behaviour.

The TVP Rural Taskforce has endeavoured to work strategically to tackle serious organised crime across the Thames valley area, often working cross border with neighbouring police forces on tactical operations.

The taskforce has seen success, with rural crime reports across the region falling by 17% last year and in particular incidents of hare coursing falling by 80% year-on-year. Equipping all police staff from call handlers to neighbourhood police with rural crime training has been proven to be paramount in the success that Thames Valley is seeing.

TVP is currently looking to recruit a number of volunteer special constables across the force including with the taskforce, ideally working for farms or estates with existing rural knowledge, who would benefit from training in risk management, communications, people skills in addition to training in crime prevention and policing. If members or their employees are interested there are more details available online.

The TVP taskforce's aim is to make Thames Valley a hostile area for criminals and through joint operations across the South East it is hoped that rather than crime being displaced, the whole of the South East will see a reduction in rural crime.