The Central OCU Country Watch team consists of:
- PCSO Sally Beard, based at Waterlooville Police Station, covering the South of Butser area
- PC Jon Radcliffe, based at Bishop's Waltham Police Station, covering the rural areas of North, Central and Southern Meon Valley and North and South Gate areas of Winchester
They are in regular contact with over 600 members of the rural community, including landowners, farmers, gamekeepers, horse owners, water balliffs and those who live there.
Regular emails and texts are sent to all members give updates on current crime trends and vehicles involved in crime. Members are active in reporting all suspicious activities to the police.
PCSO Beard and PC Radcliffe work closely with their colleagues in the Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Targeted Patrol Teams and outside agencies, including the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, HM Revenue and Customs and local councils, to tackle all aspects of crime in the rural community.
These crimes include:
- Theft from farms
- Fuel theft
- Theft of agricultural and plant machinery
- Poaching
- Environmental, wildlife and heritage crime
PCSO Sally Beard has a Country Watch radio scheme in the South of Butser area, which gives farmers the means to share information between themselves and the police, including reporting suspected criminal activity. It is hoped scheme will roll out across the whole of Hampshire.
PC Jon Radcliffe says: "We want the rural community to know that we are here to help. The police need your help and support to drive criminals out of the countryside. We want them to know that if they come out into the countryside they will be seen, their vehicle details taken and passed to the police. They will then be stopped and dealt with, learning they are not welcome.
"Together, we can put a stop to rural crime."
PC Jon Radcliffe and PCSO Sally Beard can be contacted by dialling 101 or 0845 045 45 45. In an emergency, always dial 999.
To join Country Watch, please download this application form, fill it out an email to winchester.countrywatch@hampshire.pnn.police.uk or southofbutser.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
CountryWatchMembershipApplication.doc
PC Jon Radcliffe PCSO Sally Beard
