Equine rangers saddle up to tackle rural crime in Sussex
The 14-strong team will be patrolling the county's streets
A team of specially trained horse riders are back in the saddle to tackle rural crime in Sussex.
The Sussex Equine Rangers, originally launched in 2015, will now be working alongside Sussex Police's newly formed Rural Crime Team to counter a rise in offences across the county.
It follows an increase in incidents recorded from 429 in January to 533 in June.
Burglary, theft of equipment and fly tipping are just some of the offences affecting communities.
The 14-strong team and their horses gathered at Plumpton Racecourse to celebrate their relaunch with Sussex Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne, Chief Constable Jo Shiner and the Rural Crime Team who have collectively funded their new kit and enabled the team to recruit new members in the Mid Sussex Area.
A new rural crime team made up of two sergeants, eight constables and six police community support officers (PCSOs) was launched in June.
They are working hard to serve the rural community, increase confidence and encourage reporting through preventing crime and carrying out more proactive investigations.
In two months, they patrolled over 10,000 miles of rural roads in Sussex and made 181 intelligence logs.
They have also successfully executed several warrants including, the recovery of stolen culturally significant historic items (some worth up to £30k) and located wanted domestic violence and theft suspects.
Mrs Bourne said: “I’m delighted to be able to help fund this innovative crime prevention scheme in Sussex.
“Through my ongoing consultations with residents and organisations, including the National Farmers’ Union, I know that our rural and village communities can sometimes feel ‘abandoned’.
“Since the Covid-19 lock down, there have been many disturbing reports of fly-tipping and expensive equipment theft as well as other crimes affecting the countryside such as hare coursing and poaching. I want to reassure our rural residents that these crimes will not be ignored, and we are investing in better protecting them and their livelihoods.
“This team of dedicated volunteers will be working alongside our newly established rural crime team, reporting suspicious people, vehicles and activity.
"This vital intelligence sharing will ensure the police are targeting their own patrols and enforcement in the right areas, keeping people feeling safe where they live and work.”
The new team of Equine Rangers will support and work in conjunction with the police by reaching areas like the South Downs National Park and other areas which they may struggle to reach with 4x4s.
They can increase vigilance by being able to see over hedges, into gardens, ride along bridleways and through wooded and more remote areas.
The riders will patrol on their own horses over various areas in Mid-Sussex effectively acting as eyes and ears for the police. Every volunteer has been supplied with an application on their phones to facilitate quick reporting and information sharing.
The team was initially funded by PCC Katy Bourne in 2015 and have received further funding this year from both Mrs Bourne (£3,500) and Sussex Police (£500) to pay for the new uniforms, training and equipment they need to help police the countryside.