In a rural constituency like Brentwood and Ongar, the fight against rural crime is a very real and ongoing issue for those living in more isolated communities, including farmers and rural businesses.
Essex Police, with the assistance of the Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst, has a clear mandate to prevent crime and reduce vulnerability in rural communities. Further investment is being made in fighting rural crimes, including hare coursing, wildlife crime, heritage crime, fuel theft, unauthorised encampments, and fly-tipping as well as the theft of major plant machinery and equipment.
All too often, Essex Police’s rural crime officers do a great deal of work to detect and prevent these crimes, as well as catching criminals, but do not communicate their success broadly.
It was this in mind that I was pleased to meet with the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, a fellow Essex MP with a rural constituency, and the Minister for Food Farming and Fisheries for a Rural Crime roundtable recently to discuss the excellent work being done by Essex Police, and to make a call for further funding to protect our countryside communities.
I am confident the Government is making good progress in ensuring rural policing has the resources is needs, and is developing legislation which will stop unauthorised development damaging and destroying our green belt areas, and I will support the Home Secretary and the Prime Ministers in their endeavours.
