STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’
Supt. Andy COX
Chief Inspector Tom Thompson
“
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INTRODUCTION
The Chief Constable and the
Police and Crime Commissioner
have outlined their aspiration
to tackle rural crime. We
are determined to work
in partnership with rural
communities to reduce the
harm caused to them by crime.
This NDM-inspired document,
owned by a Gold Commander,
outlines Northamptonshire
Police’s strategy for rural action,
including tackling rural crime.
Behind this strategy is a
Tactical Plan, owned by a
Silver Commander, which tracks
the tactics used to deliver
the strategy.
To make Northamptonshire the
safest place in England requires us to
recognise and understand the differing
needs and challenges of our urban and
rural communities. This is important
as Northamptonshire is well above the
national average of 17% of people living
in rural locations, with almost a third
of our population living in and around
rural towns. This Rural Policing strategy
is a welcome development and will
strengthen Northamptonshire Police’s
ongoing work to tackle rural crime and
protect people from harm. It also signals
our determination to ensure that all
communities have the confidence to
work in partnership with the Police to
tailor how the Force deals with rural
crime issues. This strategy, along with
our new Parish Special Constables,
underlines our commitment to policing
rural Northamptonshire. Not only are
we making rural crime a priority, but
we want to work in partnership with
local communities and Parish Councils
to ensure that there is a warranted
front-line officer available to reassure
residents and prevent and tackle
rural crime’
Foreword by
Police and Crime Commissioner
Adam Simmonds
STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’
“
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Northamptonshire is a
predominantly rural county
with large areas of beautiful
countryside and villages, with
vibrant communities that many
people enjoy living and working
within. Rural communities, by
their very geography, can feel
vulnerable to crime and where
crime does occur this can
have a significant impact on
the people living and working
there. It is vitally important that
Northamptonshire Police works
with communities to ensure
our service is of the highest
quality and people feel, and are
as safe as possible. This Rural
Action strategy reaffirms our
commitment and will build on the
last five year’s success, which has
seen a reduction in rural crime
by 15%; a level of performance
that bucks wider trends across
the county and further afield
and demonstrates what can be
achieved by working together.
Foreword by Chief
Constable Simon Edens
INFORMATION
AND INTELLIGENCE
The idea of rural crime and harm, and a subsequent need for
rural action, has been growing in importance in recent years.
Concerns within rural communities are complex, organised
criminals are able to travel long distances, and financial pressures
on public bodies mean well-publicised resource reductions.
However at the centre of this debate is a lack of a settled national
idea of what ‘rural’ and ‘rural crime’ mean, and therefore great
difficulty in identifying what the issues are and indeed how to
tackle them. Part of this work will be to test a single definition and
measure the problems.
Intelligence shows a very mixed picture for offending behaviour,
with high value acquisitive crimes being cross-border and
organised in nature, but many other matters being more local in
nature. A thorough analysis of a clearly defined criteria will test
our assumptions and provide a vital next step in our learning
and actions.
One of our first tasks has been to commission a new working
definition of ‘rural crime’ and a thorough problem profile
analysis of this data. When this is delivered a more mature
threat assessment and more meaningful strategy can
be developed.
THREAT ASSESSMENT
As a largely rural county, there is a great deal of anecdotal
evidence that many communities feel that resources are
focussed in urban areas, leaving those who live in the
countryside more vulnerable to crime and anti-social behaviour
(ASB). Public confidence in police and partners can often be
lower in less urban areas, even when our crime figures outside
towns are much lower per 1,000 population. There is clearly
a perception gap, which threatens public confidence and
organisational reputation.
The public in all communities need to be protected from harm,
as does their property, and this is at the heart of the policing
and wider Community Safety Partnership (CSP) mission.
In advance of a full problem profile the current understanding
of threat provides us with the hierarchical strategy as
shown on next page.
STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’
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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Our Rural Action Strategy
•
Protect people from harm
•
Target those who cause harm
•
Protect their property from harm
•
Increase public confidence
Community Engagement
Victims & Witnesses
Communication
Campaigns
Voice - Promotion of service for
victims or witnesses of rural crime
• Review of Community
Connect and other
communication channels
• Campaign calender devised
• Sector calender
• Ten point plan for Rural
Action
• Rural Roads
• Farm/Agriculture
• Wildlife/Environmental, Rural
Community
• Parish Constables
• How can you contribute campaign
Stakeholders
Performance
• ACPO lead
Review against definition
• NF&RS
• Watch bodies
• NFU/CLA
Training & Equipment
Prevention
• Specialist rural crime trainingFarm/Agriculture, Wildlife/
Environmental, Rural Community
• Rural safety toolkit - Fire/Force/Health
• Rural kit list
• Insights pilot
• RRV Pilot
STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’
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RURAL ACTION VISION
‘PROTECTING RURAL COMMUNITIES FROM HARM’
Communications. We will maximise our capacity and ability to communicate effectively, in a timely
and accurate way, with rural communities. This will be a dialogue, a two way process, and not
merely a way for the police to give out our chosen messages. This in turn will help the confidence of
communities in the ability of the police and partners to protect them and their property.
Prevention. We will improve and use police and partnership tactics to prevent and detect crime in
rural areas. Such crime has always been difficult to tackle for many reasons, such as geographical
isolation, poor communications and infrastructure, low levels of natural surveillance, and the
activities of travelling criminals.
Performance. In order to measure this we have developed a thoughtful modern definition of
‘rural crime’ – identifying those crimes of concern to rural communities. We have commissioned a
problem profile, and this will then allow the development of a performance framework. From this
we can identify and appoint Bronze Commanders, both functional and geographical, including an
investigative professional lead.
Stakeholders. We will develop a clear command structure, governance regime, and stakeholder
map. We will ensure formal bodies such as ACPO, NFU and ‘Watch’ bodies are involved, along with
local arrangements such as Rural Forums and community groups. This includes our collaborative
working strands.
Training and equipment. We will review and improve training and equipment provided to rural
officers and staff, and volunteers. This will maximise their ability to be able to deliver against this
strategy.
Community Engagement. We will plan engagement with rural communities to create a Countywide rural calendar of events and key seasonal crime types. This will provide a proportionate
visibility plan around key times of year to maximise such opportunities. These will include using
Neighbourhood Watch, Street Watch, volunteers and HorseWatch partnerships for example.
Victims and Witnesses. It is clear that public confidence is directly affected by how the criminal
justice system deals with victims and witnesses. We aim to be victim-focussed in our response and
investigation efforts, and this will include Voice as well as an improved general response.
STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’
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GOVERNANCE
Governance of this strategy will be overseen and delivered
through a Rural Action Gold Group, chaired by Chief Inspector
Tom Thompson. Gold will assess and agree the Tactical Plan,
and take responsibility for resourcing the relevant tactics.
The purpose of this group will be to monitor ongoing
performance against the strategic objectives, including
progress against the Tactical Plan. The Gold Group will include
representatives from operational policing, the OPCC, the Rural
Crime Team, Project Aspire, and others ad hoc.
The strategic lead will be accountable for the delivery of this
strategy to the Deputy Chief Constable via the quarterly strategic
performance and tasking meeting.
The Tactical Plan will be led by the Silver Commander. Silver will
govern this by a series of monthly meetings, and by appointing
any number of relevant functional or geographical Bronze
Commanders as they see fit. An example of the command
structure at any point in time is shown below in Figure 2:
Bronze
Analysis
Gold Commander
Chief Inspector
Tom Thompson
Silver Commander
Inspector
Jon Lloyd
Bronze
Investigation
Bronze
OPCC
Figure 2: Governance
Various operational
leads as required
STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’
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KEY THEMES
Cross Border and Organised Crime
A great deal of agricultural thefts involve high value plant and machinery. Modern equipment is
expensive and complex, meaning it is attractive to thieves and extremely disruptive and costly to
replace. This attracts organised criminals who can dispose of such items through mature networks,
and who are prepared to travel to carry out these activities.
Multi-Agency Approach
Against a background of reduced public sector budgets, effective working can only be carried out
by cooperation and collaboration. We will need to engage and negotiate with our statutory and
non-statutory partners in order to multiply our effectiveness.
Perceptions and Vulnerability
We know that rural communities often feel most vulnerable to crime, even when the reality is quite
the opposite. These perceptions can damage confidence in policing and wider public safety, and
our communication plans must aim to deal with these issues.
Non-dwelling Burglary
This crime type sits outside the focus of Serious Acquisitive Crime (SAC) but is prevalent in most
definitions of rural crime. Therefore it must form part of our aim to prevent and detect crime at
business and agricultural locations.
Safer Roads
The Force is focussed on violent crime, and has in recent years prioritised SAC. However a regular
complaint from rural communities is road safety, and in particular speeding in villages and narrow
country roads. The triple approach of enforcement, education, and engineering can only be
achieved through communication and partnership collaboration.
Futures Policing
The Futures Project has many initiatives running that are relevant to rural action across the
county. It is vital that this evidence base is used to inform wider change and progress across
Northamptonshire.
Resourcing
In tackling these issues it will be necessary to provide human and financial capital. The police and
partners will need to allocate these resources, proportionately, in order to achieve success in the
long term. A key part of this will be Specials and Volunteers, and a branding of rural police teams
as Rural Action Teams.
Chief Inspector Tom Thompson
Gold Commander, July 2015
STRATEGY 2015 - 2018
‘Protecting Rural Communities from Harm’