Officers put focus on rural crime during week of action

Our officers are preparing for a week of action to tackle wildlife and rural crime in the community.

The week of action, which started on Monday (18 September), will see officers focus on anticipated seasonal crime trends which may affect rural communities.

Rural crime officers will patrol rural routes to provide enhanced visibility to residents in order to provide reassurance and deter those looking to commit crime in these areas.

Inspector Mark Joynson, one of our leads for rural and wildlife crime, said: “The week is an important opportunity to raise the profile of rural crime, which can have a major impact on residents and businesses in rural communities.

“We have officers trained in tackling rural and wildlife crime across the county and we work closely with our colleagues in bordering forces to target criminals travelling into Staffordshire from neighbouring areas.

“Due to their remote locations it is important that our rural communities feel reassured that we are here to act on their concerns – and we understand what matters to them.

“No-one knows our rural communities better than the residents who live and work there so we will build on that knowledge and experience as we work together in the fight against rural crime.

“I would encourage people to join our Staffordshire Police Rural and Wildlife Facebook page where we share crime prevention messages and crime appeals.”

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams said: “Staffordshire is a largely rural county, and crimes in these areas will always be a priority for me as they can have a significant impact on communities who may already feel isolated.

“Because of this, the experience for victims of rural crime can be different, and the nature of the crimes themselves may also require a different approach. Within Staffordshire Police, for example, we have police officers and PCSOs who have received additional training in wildlife matters to support officers in dealing with wildlife crime.

“Rural crime is a core part of local policing work, and our rural communities can expect the same levels of service as those in our towns and cities, with similar response times. Police teams in rural areas have the local knowledge to understand the experiences of victims, and how to respond to the challenges of policing a rural location.”

To find out more about policing in your local area, visit Your area | Staffordshire Police.

To report crime, contact us on Live Chat at www.staffordshire.police.uk, or call 101, call 999 in an emergency.