THIS MONTH (September) marks the 10th anniversary of the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team – the first dedicated team of its kind in the UK.

Officially launched on September 3, 2013 by former North Wales Police Sergeant Rob Taylor, the team was set up at the instigation of the first North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Winston Roddick, who made a promise to form a specialist team of officers to tackle rural issues.

As well as developing an invaluable knowledge of rural communities, strengthening trust and confidence locally and making sure rural crime is less attractive for criminals, the team has led the way for the past decade in ensuring less urban areas have the best police service possible.

They have expanded from tackling in the main, farm and wildlife crime, to incidents of heritage crime, cockling, habitat destruction, poaching and illegal waste tipping – all of which is made possible through their partnership working with the farming unions, Natural Resource Wales, and organisations including the RSPCA and RSPB.

Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman said: “Congratulations to our Rural Crime Team for reaching their 10-year milestone. Their dedicated work over the past decade has ensured less urban areas have the best police service possible, bringing our force and rural and agricultural communities closer than ever before."

“They have made some incredible contributions in fighting rural crime, and through their work, North Wales has gained a national reputation for delivering an excellent service.

“There is plenty more scope for the team for the future, who are an invaluable part of the force.”

Former Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, Winston Roddick, added:  “It is a development that has since been emulated elsewhere across the country and indeed internationally.

“The importance of having a dedicated team that responds to the unique circumstances and features of rural crime cannot be overstated. This is all the more important in an area like North Wales where our rural communities are also heartlands of our language and unique culture and heritage.

“I have been delighted to see the evolution and increasing profile of the Rural Crime Team over the past 10 years and how its engagement with our rural communities has grown and flourished as the years have progressed.”

Within 16 months of launching, rural crime in North Wales fell by 50% and the team had secured two convictions as part of Operation Bayleaf, an investigation into a group who had attempted to injure and kill badgers from a sett in Holywell, Flintshire.

In 2015, Superintendent Alistair Harkness from the Victoria police force in Australia travelled halfway around the world to see how rural crime was being tackled in North Wales, while the team had also built a relationship with rural crime officers from New Zealand, whose work appeared to be very similar to that in North Wales.

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With the farming community having one of the highest rates of suicide in the UK, mental health is another important focus of the team, who are trained to help signpost members of the farming community to charities and organisations that have worked closely with Tir Dewi, RABI and the DJP Foundation, who offer support and help to farmers.

Sergeant Peter Evans, who joined the team in 2022, said: “When I first took over, I quickly discovered the passion and pride within the team in dealing with rural crime, and I could see how officers genuinely want to make a difference.

“Today, we have a lot of excellent work ongoing to protect rural communities, deter theft, identify criminals and keep crime numbers as low as possible.

“Visibility and close engagement will always be one of the most important parts of our job, and with our new dedicated rural crime engagement van, we will be able to continue to ensure policing is brought closer to home for those in rural areas.

“It’s a pleasure to be leading the Rural Crime Team as we mark this special milestone."