Following a sharp rise in hare coursing in the county, Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington pledged a series of actions including better training for officers, improved emergency response, plans to seize all dogs used for hare coursing and targeted operations.
The NFU has been pushing for better protection for rural communities, highlighting the case of Essex farmer Matthew Register who has been the victim of more than 200 hare coursing incidents in just eight months.
He has been assaulted 11 times by hare coursers and had more than £30,000 worth of damage done to his crops.
Mr Register hosted the meeting on his arable farm near Dunmow, which was led by NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt.
Hare coursing nightmare
Attendees included Chief Constable Harrington, Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst and NFU regional and county farming leaders.
Mrs Munt said: “I was shocked to hear about the nightmare Matthew, and other Essex farmers have experienced with hare coursing gangs. Farmers can feel like sitting ducks and our rural communities need better protection.
“Credit goes to Chief Constable Harrington and Essex Police along with Commissioner Hirst for meeting with us, understanding our concerns and pledging these actions, which have the potential to make a real difference.
“We must now ensure these actions are followed through.
“The NFU will continue to engage with the police to support this work. We will use our collective voice to keep hare coursing under the spotlight, both here in Essex and nationally.”
Change for the better
Mr Register has been locked in his grain store to stop him calling police during a hare coursing event, pinned up against a tree, fired at with catapults and knocked off his bike while riding on the road.
He said: “It was so valuable for me to speak directly to the Chief Constable about what I’ve been through. The NFU has done some excellent work with Essex Police to get to this stage.
“This will take time but if these actions come to fruition, we could see real change for the better.”
The plans announced by Chief Constable Harrington were:
- More training for response and neighbourhood officers to understand hare coursing and the available powers and tactics to respond to incidents.
- Ensuring a 999 call reporting hare coursing taking place is treated in the same way as a 999 call reporting a robbery in progress (for example).
- Ensuring the most suitable unit will respond to emergency calls.
- All dogs found in relation to hare coursing will be seized.
- Ensure a 4x4 vehicle is always available during peak hare coursing times and more officers are trained to drive them.
- Creation of a Rural Independent Advisory Group to meet regularly to discuss and raise issues, share information and increase accountability and transparency.
- Ensure police deploy a drone to support their response to incidents and requests for support from the National Police Air Service are made.
- Specific targeted operations to coincide with the start of the hare coursing season.
Pictured after the meeting are, from left to right: Essex Police Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt, NFU East Regional Board Vice-chair Sam Pimblett, , Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst, Chief Superintendent Waheed Khan and Essex farmer Matthew Register
Willingness to work together
Chief Constable Harrington said: “I am grateful to the farming community for their openness and support.
“I know there is a positive working relationship with the Rural Engagement Team and I’m keen that we build upon that. There is a huge amount of willingness to work together to tackle this issue and ensure our farming communities feel safer.”
Mr Hirst said: “This meeting was very productive, and we now have the framework of a proactive action plan to make a real difference.”
Hare coursing is an illegal activity where criminals organise for dogs to chase hares over farmland for large bets of money, costing farmers thousands of pounds in damage to the land.
NFU research has revealed links between hare coursing and other crimes such as theft, money laundering, drugs, animal welfare, intimidation and violent assault.
Following NFU lobbying, the Sentencing Council has published new guidelines to ensure courts fully recognise the impact of the crime.