£57k PFCC funding boost to tackle rural crime across Essex

More than £57k is being invested in new equipment and resources to help tackle rural crime and provide greater reassurance to communities across Essex.

The Rural Crime Safer Streets bid has secured £57,721 from the PFCC’s Safer Streets fund to enhance rural crime prevention and enforcement activity across the county.

The funding will strengthen Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team’s ability to tackle offences including hare coursing, agricultural and machinery theft, poaching and wildlife crime, while helping officers improve their visibility and reach in rural communities.

Investment will include a John Deere Gator all-terrain vehicle, enabling officers to access remote and difficult-to-reach locations where conventional police vehicles may not be suitable.

Three vehicles will also be equipped with mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to support intelligence-led enforcement and help officers target those suspected of committing crime in rural areas.

The funding will provide:

• A John Deere Gator ATV to improve access to remote rural locations.

• Mobile ANPR capability for three vehicles.

• Trail cameras and signage for deployment in rural crime hotspots.

• ATV training to create a resilient pool of accredited officers.

• A trailer, personal protective equipment and vehicle maintenance to support operational deployments.

• Rural crime prevention and engagement materials to support Farm Watch, encourage reporting and build community confidence.

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Rural crime can have a significant impact on farmers, businesses and communities, both financially and on their sense of safety. People living and working in our countryside deserve to know that rural crime is taken seriously and that the police have the right tools to tackle it.

“This £57,721 investment from the PFCC will give our Rural Engagement Team additional practical resources to reach more remote locations, gather intelligence and target those responsible for crimes such as hare coursing, agricultural theft, poaching and wildlife crime.

“It is also important that we continue working closely with our rural communities. Initiatives such as Farm Watch, alongside better prevention advice and engagement, help residents and businesses protect themselves, report suspicious activity and provide the intelligence police need to take action. We maintain strong communication with the rural community through the quarterly PFCC Rural Crime Forum and the new Essex Police Independent Advisory Group.

“By combining prevention, community engagement, targeted enforcement and communication, we can make our rural communities safer and make Essex a more difficult place for rural criminals to operate.”

Supt Darren Deex, of Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team, said: "We know crime can have a significant impact on our farming communities, rural businesses and residents, so we're pleased to receive the Rural Crime Safer Streets funding as it will further strengthen our response.

"This investment will give our Rural Engagement Team additional capability to prevent, deter and disrupt hare coursing, poaching and agricultural & machinery theft as well as increasing our visibility in rural areas.

"The purchase of a new off-road, all-terrain vehicle, mobile ANPR technology and trail cameras will help our officers access remote locations, develop intelligence and take targeted enforcement action against those who commit crime.

"Just as importantly, this funding will support greater engagement with residents and businesses, who know their local areas best, through initiatives such as Farm Watch, helping us to build confidence and encouraging them to report information about crimes and criminal activity to police.

"We are committed to protecting Essex's rural communities and this financial support will help us continue delivering the proactive policing they expect and deserve."

The investment will support a combination of prevention, engagement and enforcement, giving officers greater flexibility to patrol rural areas, respond to intelligence and deploy equipment in locations where rural crime is a particular concern.