Officers carry out rural community day in north of county

More than 30 officers from a number of policing teams carried out a rural community engagement day in northern parts of the county last week.

Members of the Northern Neighbourhood Enforcement Team, local Neighbourhood teams, Country Watch and Priority Crime Team gathered at the Northern Police Investigation Centre in Basingstoke on Wednesday before carrying out patrols.

They focused on rural crime hotspots in five districts, including Basingstoke, Hart and Rushmoor, Winchester, Test Valley and East Hants.

Officers engaged with local residents, farmers, shops and business owners and listened to their concerns while also providing crime prevention advice. 

More than 30 intelligence logs were submitted from the day of action, which will enable teams to build up an accurate picture of what is happening in each district.

Detective Chief Inspector Dal Andrews said: “We have a vast rural community throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and we are determined to represent them and tackle crime in rural areas.

“Sadly, we know that crimes in rural communities often go under-reported. This is why we planned our rural community day of action to ensure our officers were visible and were out speaking with residents and workers.

“Crime prevention is key, as we know the significant impact that rural crime is having on our communities in these remote areas, and stopping incidents from occurring in the first place is vital and minimises the harm that is being caused.

“Our teams will be conducting further operations and days of action as well as continuing to investigate crimes and gather evidence in order to arrest offenders.

“Members of rural communities are our eyes and ears, and it was great to see so many people offering their support throughout the day.

“Please keep reporting information you have to us. Whether this relates to suspicious individuals or vehicles, burnt out vehicles or other unusual vehicles left on farmland, or information about crimes. Every piece of information you provide us with strengthens our intelligence picture and our ability to disrupt the people involved in crime.

“If you see something suspicious, please report it to us as soon as possible so our teams can respond accordingly. You can report to us online, or by calling 101. If a crime is in progress, please dial 999 immediately.

“Please utilise our Let’s Talk survey too. This is a great way for you to tell us about the issues that are affecting you and the community.”

If you are a member of DISC you can also use this platform to provide information to the police. If you have a business connection to the rural and wildlife environment, you may be eligible to be a member of DISC. Please email [email protected]