Police and farmers’ union launch joint initiative across rural Hertfordshire

A new initiative has been launched across Hertfordshire to help provide additional support to rural communities.

Officers from the constabulary’s Rural Operational Support Team (ROST) have joined forces with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to create two Rural Priority Working Groups – one for the east and one for the west of the county.

The aim of the project is to identify issues that rural communities are currently facing, such as anti-social behaviour, burglary, theft of machinery or wildlife crime, and work together to try and resolve them.

Chaired by ROST Sergeant Alex Winning, the working groups will help give those living and working in rural communities a better and more direct avenue to voice their concerns to police.

The groups will meet quarterly to review the issues raised, set priorities for the coming months and provide updates on how effective their efforts have been.

Work to tackle the issues will predominantly be carried out by the ROST, with support from local Neighbourhood Policing Teams and Police Support Volunteers.

Sergeant Winning said: “We’re really pleased to be working with the NFU on this project and I hope it reassures our rural communities that we do take their issues seriously. These working groups have been set up to give you a better voice and we really hope to see as many people as possible getting involved and engaging with us.”

NFU County Adviser Josh Redford said: “Rural crime is a key issue affecting farmers across the country and the NFU continue to push for a consistent and coordinated response to rural crime across the forces. We hope that the two Hertfordshire working groups will form a key part of communicating rural issues to both county and local policing teams moving forwards and we thank Hertfordshire Police for their help establishing these two groups.”

If you have an issue you’d like to report, you can do so online, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can email the ROST directly or contact your local NFU representative.