Wiltshire PCC ‘would be denied job in own Rural Crime team’ as hunting hiring row escalates

The Countryside Alliance has called for the publication of Wiltshire Police’s framework for staff working in its Rural Crime Team as Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Wilkinson, has created further confusion by denying that he, or others, with “personal links” to hunts would be prohibited from joining the unit. If you haven't already done so, you can sign our e-lobby here.

Alliance Chief Executive, Tim Bonner, had pointed out that under Wiltshire Police’s new framework for officers working in its Rural Crime Team, Wiltshire Police Crime Commissioner, Phil Wilkinson, would be denied a role, because of his own self-confessed personal links to hunts. 

Taking to Facebook in response to a Countryside Alliance post about ‘Wiltshire Police discrimination’, following a recent decision by the force to introduce framework which prohibits staff from having any links- past or present- to hunting from joining its Rural Crime Team, Mr. Wilkinson admitted: “I shoot, fish and have a knowledge of the countryside where I live, as do many others in the force and my office, I have even been to a hunt ball and watched the occasional Boxing Day hunt, as most country folk have, but I have not been engaged in hunting or anti-hunting activities to a degree that would compromise my impartial position”.

In a series of email exchanges, the Countryside Alliance has accused Mr Wilkinson of failing to comprehend the implications of the new framework. The group also claim that because of Mr Wilkinson’s own admission of having links to hunting, he would, as the framework has been reported, be denied a job in the Rural Crime Team.

While the framework does not specifically ban officers with links to hunts from working for the force, it does require staff in the Rural Crime Team unit not have links to any hunt, past or present. The Alliance argue that ‘links to hunting’, by definition must include point-to-point races and hunt balls which are hunt fundraising events, hunt meets including Boxing Day meets, as well as including officers whose families allow hunts to operate legally on their land. 

Furthermore, it “requires staff disclose links to any rural based hobby or initiative that could potentially call into question their policing impartiality”.

In an email to Tim Bonner, Mr Wilkinson claimed the framework does not represent ‘a ban’ on those with links to hunting from joining the force’s rural crime team.

In response, however, Tim Bonner argued: “ I am working on the basis of normal English usage. By having a principle “to ensure staff do not have personal links to hunts past or present” Wiltshire Police are clearly ‘banning’ people who have personal links to hunts from working for the RCT. That is a straightforward interpretation.

“Likewise, the class of people who “have personal links to hunts” must go well beyond people who hunt or have hunted. There would be absolutely no reason to use that phrase if it did not extend beyond active participants. A person who attends a hunt ball or a point to point absolutely has “personal links to hunts past or present” as they are attending hunt social events and contributing towards the funding of hunts. Again, this is a perfectly straightforward, logical and frankly unarguable interpretation.”

The Alliance has now demanded urgent clarification and for the framework to be published in full, with Mr Bonner arguing: “If you are now telling me that someone who has personal links to hunts by, for instance, attending hunt social events can serve in the RCT you are contradicting the statement…which does not leave any room for doubt or a ‘judgment framework’. That statement, at least, is unambiguous when it says that the principles will “ensure staff do not have personal links to hunts past or present”.

The Countryside Alliance, which has thousands of members across Wiltshire, has said it will continue to raise the issue ‘at the highest levels’ while urging its supporters and members to continue letting Mr Wilkinson and Wiltshire Police understand that gravity of their concerns.

The row comes as thousands of people continue writing to Mr Wilkinson directly, outlining their concern at the recent decision. After two weeks of the Alliance’s e-lobby going live, some 4,200 people had already contacted Mr Wilkinson demanding the new framework be scrapped.

In his closing remarks to Mr Wilkinson, Mr Bonner said: “ The Alliance has principles which, unlike those produced by Wiltshire Police, oppose discrimination against any group including those involved in legal pastimes. I am sorry you obviously do not want to meet to discuss this issue, but we will continue to campaign against a policy which is clearly partial and prejudiced against minorities within the rural community and elsewhere”.

This news story has been covered by the Daily Express. The article can be read here.