As one of the first supporters of the National Rural Crime Network (NCRN), Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd, is delighted to hear that it has recently secured £40,000 of Home Office funding.

The NCRN is a group that is based online and dedicated to researching and implementing ways to reduce rural crime. 

Now sponsored by three quarters of the country’s Police and Crime Commissioners (28 PCCs) and led by North Yorkshire PCC Julia Mulligan, it will provide information and support for rural communities by encouraging direct interaction between businesses, organisations and the police.

Commissioner Lloyd said: “This exciting initiative will help to tackle crime issues that are often unique to rural areas and require specialist knowledge to tackle effectively. Rural crime is one of my priorities and one that many communities and businesses in this county are affected by when it happens.

“I’ve already used the forum to research issues that have been raised in Hertfordshire, such as fly grazing, where horses are left wandering freely or dumped, and fly tipping, to find out how it is tackled in other places and whether we can use the same techniques to deal with the problems that occur in Hertfordshire."

Policing Minister and Hemel Hempstead MP, Mike Penning, said recently: “This collaborative approach will enable forces and neighbourhoods to become more resilient in preventing these crimes and protecting businesses and communities in rural areas.”

In addition to working with National Neighbourhood Watch and Crimestoppers, the NCRN will encourage the development of strong links between national policing leads for rural and wildlife crime, for heritage crime, and for interested organisations such as the National Farmers Union and English Heritage.