Share your experience of rural crime with us!

Ahead of next year’s Police and Crime Commissioner elections, it has never been more important for you to share your experience of rural crime with us. Your experiences will help shape the future of rural policing.

Rural communities have always experienced crime but it is often hidden, but when we talk to those who live and work in these areas, rural crime consistently emerges as one of their concerns. However, this concern has not always reverberated within the corridors of Whitehall.

For example, it took the Countryside Alliance years of relentless campaigning to tackle the scourge of hare poaching and bring forward more robust laws targeting individuals who intimidate and harass farmers and the broader rural populace. Yet, the government remained unwavering in its reluctance to take action. It was only after a prolonged, four-year endeavour that the Countryside Alliance, along with other rural organisations, successfully persuaded the government to amend the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill, equipping the police and courts with enhanced capabilities to combat the scourge of hare poaching.

Notwithstanding our unflagging efforts in Westminster, Holyrood, or the Senedd, we also implore you to contribute to our annual Rural Crime Survey. Share your insights into the challenges and predicaments your community faces in terms of crime. By doing so, you fortify our arguments and amplify your voice.

Over the years, our annual Rural Crime Survey has revealed that residents and workers in rural communities often feel that the police and other agencies fail to treat rural crime with the seriousness it warrants, despite its increasing national prominence in recent years.

The findings from the 2022 Countryside Alliance Rural Crime Survey built upon those from the previous year, shedding light on the fact 49% did not think the police take rural crime seriously, and 90% had not seen any police officers in their area in the last week.

It is evident from last year's outcomes that a substantial amount of work remains to be done to tackle rural crime, working hand in hand with communities to mitigate its impact and resolve the crime issues that beset rural areas. As an advocate for rural Britain, the Countryside Alliance will continue to exert pressure on the government, Police and Crime Commissioners, and police forces to review their approach to combating rural crime and its root causes. This underlines the vital importance of your participation in our 2023 annual Rural Crime Survey, which will inform our crime campaigns and ensure that your voice resonates within the corridors of power.