Rural community policing remain a high priority in Cheshire

Cheshire Constabulary has enlisted 19 Special Constables dedicated to work alongside the recently doubled complement of specialist trained rural and wildlife police officers. This all forms part of the Police & Crime Commissioner’s commitment to tackling an issue that in the past had often been under-reported. The aim is to increase confidence within the rural community, ensure that they know they have a police force that is there for them when and where they need them and a force that is dedicated to building even strong links with rural communities.

The Specials are complemented by further 898 Horsewatch volunteers and 251 Cyclewatch volunteers who are the eyes and ears of the community, reporting suspicious activity and helping to spread messages within the community to prevent further victims.

Cheshire Police & Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said: “I have listened to Cheshire’s rural communities and have ensured they are as much of a priority as any other part of Cheshire. We have been working with them to raise the profile of rural crime and put the resources into helping to prevent crime and bring to justice those who think our rural communities are an easy target.

“I am very pleased to see that we have well over 1000 volunteers working with us to help in our mission to make our rural communities feel safe. This is exactly what I committed to do when I came into this role. Cheshire is seeing the positive results of this work – rural crime is reducing, solved rates increasing and an independent rating of outstanding for the Constabulary in terms of preventing crime and anti-social behaviour.

“I will continue to listen to all of our communities and help to tackle the issues that matter to them.”