A new survey has been launched to gain an insight into what farming communities think about rural policing and crime.
Crime has always been a key issue throughout the countryside, but it has risen considerably further up the agenda of rural concerns over the last few years.
The extent of rural crime is only part of the problem. For many people, whether they have fallen victim to crime or not, the simple fear of crime can have a detrimental effect on their quality of life.
It has been suggested that anticipation of crime has the potential to cause greater harm than the actual experience of crime itself.
This is due to the effect of long-term stress and other mental health considerations, which is only exacerbated by rural isolation.
Now the Countryside Alliance has launched a national survey ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May 2020. The survey will close on 29 March.
Sarah Lee, of the Countryside Alliance said: “Good rural policing is about far more than numbers of police officers on the ground.
“If we truly want to tackle rural crime, then we must form effective partnerships between the police, rural communities and other authorities.”
She added: “Take part in our rural policing survey and tell us about any crimes that have been committed against you, including ones that were not reported to the police. How did they make you feel? Did the police respond appropriately?”
The rural group will be presenting the results of the survey to all of the candidates of the forthcoming Police Commissioner elections to ensure that they 'understand the needs, concerns and priorities of rural communities'"
The survey takes 10 minutes to complete and responses are anonymous. The closing date is Sunday 29 March 2020.
