With many businesses based in the more rural parts of Dorset, Chief Inspector Jim Beashel highlights the work of The Dorset Police Rural Crime Team.
Established in 2016 the role of the team is to co-ordinate the police response to any crime or incident in a rural area that impacts on any farming, agriculture, wildlife, environment and heritage assets. Nearly half of Dorset’s population live in rural areas and we are fortunate to have an abundance of diverse wildlife in the county which can be the subject of poaching and other wildlife crime.
The Rural Crime Team consists of an Inspector and Sergeant (also responsible for local policing in West Dorset), two dedicated police officers, a police community support officer and a part time rural crime researcher. The team also includes nominated officers who are points of contact for each of Dorset’s five rural sections: Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne, Purbeck, East Dorset and North Dorset and they work closely with the rural community and partners across Dorset to ensure they are engaged with and protected. As well as providing specialist advice and training to front line Police officers in relation to Rural, Wildlife & Heritage Crime the team’s aim is to make Rural Dorset a safer and less attractive place for rural offenders. They do this by running regular proactive operations to target those responsible for committing such crimes and bringing them to justice and through the use of criminal behaviour orders and other restrictive legislation.
The Rural Crime Team would like to offer a socially distanced visit to your farm, small holding or rural business premises and offer advice on crime prevention. The team can also provide prevention signage and livestock worrying signs. Our Rural Crime Team PCSO has a farming background and understands that crime prevention cannot be like Fort Knox as it has to be practical solutions allowing vital work on the premises to continue. If you would like to arrange a Rural Crime Prevention Security Review please send the team an email at ruralcrimeteam@dorset.pnn.police.uk or please call 101 and ask to speak to PCSO 6386 Tom Balchin.
A simple step to find out about security advice is by visiting our website: https://www.dorset.police.uk/ruralcrime, we also use our Dorset Alert system to send security advice and information, which will help you to keep your property safe. As a member you will receive information on rural related incidents from across the county of Dorset, so that you can be aware of any suspicious activity that may occur. If you would like to join this system please visit www.dorsetalert.co.uk
One thing we urge rural residents and businesses to do is to report suspicious vehicles and persons to Police as this is often the precursor to a theft or crime happening. Rural crime offenders will often scout out possible targets and be less conscious of protecting their identity and vehicle details when doing so. Reporting is a must because unless a crime or suspicious incident is reported and recorded we have no record of it happening and are unable to use what could be vital information in investigations or our patrol-plans.
For a crime in progress such as a theft or any other emergency that requires Police then please dial 999.
For all non-urgent reporting please, if possible, use our online report process at https://www.dorset.police.uk/do-it-online/, you can report crime or an incident such as a suspicious vehicle by emailing 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or phone us on 101.