Police forces unite to crackdown on hare coursing

Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Essex Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, and the National Police Air Service are all working in partnership.

Author: Ellie RobsonPublished 17th Sep 2025

Cambridgeshire Constabulary has teamed up with forces to re-launch a robust crackdown on hare coursing and associated criminality.

Working in partnership with Essex Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, and the National Police Air Service (NPAS), the force is taking coordinated action under Operation Galileo to tackle the illegal activity.

The operation involves increased police patrols, intelligence sharing and the use of advanced technology.

Officers are also working closely with farming communities to disrupt criminality, seize vehicles and equipment and secure prosecutions against offenders.

Hare coursing is a serious criminal offence under the Hunting Act 2004 and the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. It is linked to a range of harmful behaviours including damage to farmland, dangerous driving, intimidation of landowners, and wider rural criminality.

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