Police leaders pledge to combat countryside crime

Organised crime gangs, salmon poaching, and catapults being used as weapons were among the big issues raised as senior police leaders held their latest Rural Engagement Forum with farmers and landowners, organised and chaired by Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones.

The group of countryside landowners and farmers heard how the Local Bobby scheme, first introduced by the PCC in January 2024, is being expanded with 15 new officers and 80% of those will be placed into rural areas, ensuring better policing coverage across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The Police Commissioner vowed to press for tougher legislation and a review of sentencing guidelines for people caught using catapults for criminal activity, while the risk from poaching to Hampshire’s salmon stock during migration was raised as one of serious concern.

There have been 197 reports of fish poaching across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the 12 months to the end of September, an 85.8% increase on the year before.

In the past three months alone there have been 64 of those incidents, and there is growing fear that this could lead to long-lasting damage to stocks of low population fish in the two counties, like salmon.

PCC Donna Jones said: “Businesses across our rural communities continue to suffer at the hands of criminals and organised crime gangs. Farmers and landowners are having plant machinery stolen, they are suffering thousands upon thousands of pounds worth of damage from criminal damage, fields being churned up through hare coursing.

“Also, there is the issue of fish poaching, we have heard about the salmon stock being put at risk this year in our beautiful chalk rivers through the River Test and the River Itchen.

“What we are hearing from experts who work and live in these rural communities every single day, is the help they need from the police, and the threats that these rural areas face. The police can take that information and formulate an appropriate response, as Police and Crime Commissioner I am funding that, and that’s why these Rural Engagement Forums are so important.

“I have made Rural Crime one of my main priorities for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, so giving rural communities their voice and an opportunity to address police officers and myself, as their elected representative, is vital in our fight together against rural crime.”

Countess Mountbatten of Burma hosted the event, which was also attended by Chief Constable Alexis Boon along with other senior police officers, in the Orangery at Broadlands in Romsey. The meeting was a follow-up to the inaugural Rural Engagement Forum, held in East Meon in June.

Representatives from the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) attended, as well as Estate Managers for Broadlands and the Southwick Estate, with waste crime another issue high on their agenda.

Chief Constable Alexis Boon said: “Hearing from the group today, it is clear we need to continue to build strong partnerships with rural communities so that we can work together to combat crime. We will continue to proactively target criminals who commit rural crime and act to achieve tangible results.”

“It is important that we engage like this with our rural communities, across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, listening to their point of view so we understand what is troubling them the most. Listening enables us to tailor our policing response and work ever more effectively with the local community.

“People need to have someone they can contact quickly, who can help to solve their problems swiftly and efficiently – it is really important that people know where to turn and that we are there for them.’

“These meetings help to build bridges and show criminals we are united together with communities in our determination to prevent crime and protect our rural communities”

Assistant Chief Constable, Tara McGovern, force lead for local policing provided more information on the regional connections in rural work with forces in Thames Valley, Wiltshire, Dorset, Sussex and Surrey – and how they hold a shared vision in tackling rural crimes, especially those crossing county borders.

There will be further national lobbying from regional Police and Crime Commissioner’s, including Donna Jones, through the South East Regional Organised Waste Crime Board, to deal further with the fly-tipping and waste crime problem. This is an issue dealt with primarily by local authorities, which has a £900 million impact annually across the UK.

The group of farmers, landowners and police leaders will meet again in December, as the unified approach to tackling rural crime strengthens further.