The team was established last year, following NFU lobbying, and has been working hard since then to build links with farmers and the wider rural community.
Inspector Nick Stonehouse, who heads the team, said: “We’re aiming, through engagement, to try and recreate how life was years ago, when there was a village bobby you could call on when you had a problem, who you knew would help.
“We’re achieving this, not by increasing establishment, but by being more available to the rural community.
“We have a team of officers who understand the impact of rural crime and who will go that extra mile to investigate incidents. If information about suspicious vehicles and people is passed to us, for example, we will act on it, so we need farmers to tell us what is going on.”
The team includes a full-time sergeant and two police constables, supported by specials. There also designated rural-trained contacts within each Safer Neighbourhood Partnership team.
Officers have held barn meetings with NFU members across the county, visited farms to offer crime prevention advice and trained new police recruits and Control Room staff about rural crime.
They also operate a fast SMS text service, which allows for the rapid sharing of information during incidents with members of the rural community who have signed up to this free-of-charge service.
Inspector Stonehouse said that tackling hare coursing was a key priority this autumn and winter, with the team joining region-wide days of action to target the coursing gangs.
“Coursing is top of our agenda. We are seeing incidents every day at the moment. They are no longer coursing on foot but staying in their vehicles, compacting the soil, damaging crops and regularly using threats and intimidation,” he said.
“We know that some farmers are being offered thousands of pounds to allow coursing on their land and people are, understandably, very reluctant to come forward and give statements due to the fear of recriminations.”
The police plan to use high-tech drones that can recognise individuals from several hundred metres. They hope the high quality footage will provide compelling evidence in court and reduce the likelihood of a victim having to give evidence.
They will also seize coursers’ vehicles and use financial investigators to target assets acquired through crime.
“We are giving advice to farmers about how to deter the coursers, as well. Some farmers are starting to deep-plough the edge of their fields, increasing the size of ditches and closing off gateways so the coursers cannot get access,” said Inspector Stonehouse.
“We are constantly trying to think about new ways to combat hare coursing.”
NFU Suffolk County Adviser Rachel Carrington said: “Rural crime remains a huge concern for our members but, by its proactive approach, this team is starting to make a difference in Suffolk.
“To be most effective the team needs farmers to both report crime, so they can build up a true picture of what’s happening in the countryside, but also provide information about suspicious vehicles and people so the police can target their resources most effectively.”
You can contact the police, including registering for its fast SMS service, by emailing cnVyYWxjcmltZXRlYW1Ac3VmZm9say5wbm4ucG9saWNlLnVr