Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Bosworth, joined Leicestershire’s rural police team to experience their working day as they police across Hinckley and Bosworth.
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police created the rural police team in 2021, and was further expanded in 2022, as part of the Rural Crime Strategy and work which is being done to boost police presence across the county.
Dr Evans accompanied Inspector Neil Whittle and PC Mike Statt, rural officer for Hinckley and Blaby, to farms in the Bosworth constituency. They discussed local issues currently being tackled, such as anti-social behaviour, equipment theft, crime prevention funding and upcoming legislation with local farmers.
Since creating the dedicated rural policing team, efforts have been made to make reporting crimes easier and quicker for local farmers and producers. Rural and farming communities across the county are encouraged to report machinery thefts, anti-social behaviour, hare coursing and other crimes via a dedicated website: www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/rwc/rural/report-rural-crime
Since December 2019, more than 250 additional police officers have joined the force across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland as part of the Government’s promise to increase the number of police officers by 20,000 across England and Wales.
In November, on national Back British Farming day, the local MP wrote to the Chief Executives of supermarkets with stores in his constituency to ask what they’re doing to support local farmers. Dr Evans has welcomed news from Lidl and Tesco that they source from producers in Bosworth.
Dr Luke Evans, Member of Parliament for Bosworth, said: “I want to thank Insp Whittle and his team for all the work they have done disrupting hare coursing, farm equipment theft and intimidation when trespassing.
“It was great to hear from PC Statt about the work he does to engage with our rural communities to prevent and disrupt crime particularly targeted at farmers and our farming community.
“Our area is 85% agricultural so the rural police team – specialists on wildlife and rural crime – is very welcome. The team receive assistance when necessary from other officers in the area, which is important given we have a mammoth patch to cover, but it was fantastic to see the progress made in such a short time.
“Taking time with officers to meet with local farmers as an MP has been hugely valuable: listening to their concerns and discussing what I and the Government can do to support them.”
