Discuss rural issues with Chief Constable and Police & Crime Commissioner

Cheshire Constabulary will be hosting a webchat with the Chief Constable Simon Byrne and Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer on Monday, November 16 and we want you to get involved.

The Constabulary has just finished its mammoth ‘100 Days of Rural Crime’ campaign which, every day, highlighted an aspect of rural crime that affects our communities in Cheshire and what police are doing to try to tackle it.

The campaign covered a range of issues, including badger baiting, theft of farm machinery, poaching, night hawking and speed enforcement on rural roads.

The webchat is an ideal opportunity to ask further questions on the work that officers are undertaking in this area, and to find out more about how you can get involved in helping us to keep our rural communities safe.

A police spokesman said: “This is a rare opportunity to have direct contact with the two most influential men in your police force, from the comfort of your own home.

“We want to hear from members of our rural communities about whether you feel you were aware of the rural campaign, whether it effectively tackled issues or any other feedback you might have. We also want to know whether there are any particular issues in this area that weren’t covered that our specialist officers can assist with.

“We also have a very strong focus on volunteers at Cheshire Constabulary, who play a pivotal role in how we deliver policing in Cheshire and there are a range of initiatives where we work with the public to tackle these types of crime, such as Horse Watch, Cycle Watch and Rural Watch. This webchat is an opportunity to find out more about those too.”

The webchat will predominantly be focused on rural crime, but there is also the chance to ask about other areas too – including our recruitment plans and volunteering opportunities. You might also want to ask about the PCC about funding opportunities for a rural project you are involved with.

The webchat will run from 7pm until 8.30pm on Monday, November 16. You can get involved by logging onto the Cheshire police website at www.cheshire.police.uk/ruralchat, through Twitter using #ruralchat, or by sending questions in advance by emailing website@cheshire.pnn.police.uk