A dedicated team to deal with rural crime has been put in place in the area as a direct result of Dyfed-Powys Police’s Rural Crime Strategy.
PC Charlie Jones and PCSO Rhiannon Williams will be the named points of contact for rural crime matters, as well as being responsible for developing specialist skills and helping other officers have a better understanding of rural crime.
One of the team’s key roles is to impress on rural communities the importance of reporting crimes and suspicious incidents. They will also help to ensure the force has a greater understanding of the scale of issues faced, and assist with putting plans in place to support people living in rural communities.
PC Jones said: “Our farmers tend not to report a crime if it’s of low value as they don’t think it’s worth it, or that we can’t investigate it.
“We want people to know that we take all reports of crime seriously. However, our role is more than crime, it’s also about identifying vulnerabilities in our rural community. Farming can be a very lonely occupation, with many people feeling isolated and not necessarily knowing where to look for help.
“We will be linking in with other businesses who see farmers on a regular basis, so we can signpost those who need help and advice. Communication is vital in working together to understand and effectively target concerns in our rural communities.
“We already have some fantastic neighbourhood officers currently working in our rural communities throughout Powys.
“Part of my role is to assist them where ever possible, often utilising key partners and neighbouring police forces whilst doing so.
“Working together as one Rural Crime Team and combining information, is proven to be the most effective means of tackling rural crime. Our offenders don’t have county borders and neither do we.”
PC Jones has 22 years’ service as a constable with Dyfed-Powys Police, all of which has been within the Powys division. She has worked all over the county, including being the rural officer in the Welshpool and Radnorshire areas.
PCSO Williams has two years’ service, during which time she has worked on Neighbourhood Policing Teams. She has lived in rural communities for the past 18 years and has lived on a small holding for some of that time.
She was previously a member of Montgomeryshire YFC, and is currently the Powys rural crime prevention liaison officer, as well as a trained cybercrime officer.
The pair will cover the whole county, dealing with issues ranging from livestock thefts and worrying, investigating reports of agricultural theft and visiting farmers’ markets. They also offer crime prevention advice and general support to farmers across the county.
They also work closely with key rural agencies including: the National Farmers’ Union, the Farmers’ Union of Wales and the Welsh Government and
Powys County Council.
Their work provides a key link between farmers and Dyfed-Powys Police, ensuring that our farming communities’ concerns are understood by the force. Their aim is to increase the understanding of the issues impacting on rural communities and through working with partner agencies, to agree priorities and jointly address the concerns that are having the greatest effect on rural life.
You can follow the team on Twitter @DPruralpolicing for up-to-date information about rural crimes and events throughout Powys.
