Volunteer drone operators to assist Hampshire Police tackle rural crime
The scheme is said to be the first of its kind in the country
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary are launching a pioneering community drone project as part of our ongoing commitment to tackling rural crime.
Believed to be the first of its kind in the country, the project will see community volunteers – who have been fully trained and have passed a bespoke drone operators’ course – called out and deployed by the police control room to provide drone support to live police incidents.
The drones will be utilised where needed as part of the police response to an ongoing crime in rural Hampshire – such as hare coursing, poaching, and non-dwelling burglaries – with the project also focusing on information sharing between the police and rural communities alongside assisting police with evidence-gathering through the use of advanced drone technology.
At present, we have five volunteers as we pilot the project, with ambitions to expand and recruit more volunteers in the future.
The project has been made possible with funding from Test Valley Borough Council, North Wessex Downs National Landscapes (NWDNL) Farming in Protected Landscapes, and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner.
Misery
Inspector Stu Ross, who has been leading the project, said:
“Rural criminals cause continued misery to farmers, landowners, gamekeepers and estate owners across the county, and indeed across the country. It’s crucial that we all come together as a police service, as a partnership and as a community to tackle this.
“That’s why we have introduced this innovative project which enables us to bring the community into the heart of rural policing.
“I am incredibly grateful for the volunteers we have recruited so far, who are lending their skills to pilot drones and assist officers on the ground dealing with crimes in action, and also to our key partners including the Police and Crime Commissioner, Test Valley Borough Council, North Wessex Downs National Landscapes, and the Country Land & Business Association (CLA).
“These skills will complement the existing technology we have in our arsenal to combat rural crime such as police drones, mobile ANPR cameras and trail cameras, in addition to the expertise we have in our Country Watch Rural Crime Task Force which is made up of officers and staff with specialist qualifications and knowledge in matters including the identification of stolen plant, heritage crime and wildlife crime.”
Protecting
Richard Clarke, chair of the NWDNL Farming in Protected Landscapes panel, said: "Farming in Protected Landscapes is about enabling farmers to thrive while protecting the special places they manage. This innovative project empowers local communities to support farming by helping tackle rural and wildlife crime and anti-social behaviour, creating a safer environment for farmers, the local community and wildlife.”