Rural Crime Forum Highlights Community Concerns and Progress in Tackling Offences

Local councillors, landowners, rural campaigners and community safety partners gathered at Ugley Village Hall for the latest Rural Crime Forum, jointly hosted by Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, and Kemi Badenoch, MP for North West Essex, Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of HM Opposition.

The quarterly forum, organised by the PFCC, provides a vital platform for those living and working in rural areas to raise concerns, share insights, and help shape the policing response to rural crime. This quarter’s meeting focused on key issues including hare coursing, speeding on rural roads, and police response times.

Senior representatives from Essex Police, including Assistant Chief Constable Glenn Pavelin, Chief Inspector Jon Evans, and Inspector Terry Jacobs from the Rural Engagement Team, were present to answer questions and provide updates on enforcement efforts and community engagement.

Roger Hirst, PFCC for Essex, said: “It’s a great pleasure to co-host the forum with Kemi Badenoch MP. The PFCC is always happy to work with all partners in Essex. The forum provided valuable insight into how we target resources to further meet the needs of our rural communities.”

Encouragingly, overall rural crime in Essex has decreased by 4.3% in the 12 months to July 2025, with rural acquisitive crime down by 8.7%. Reports of hare coursing have increased, which Essex Police attribute to the success of Operation Galileo, a campaign encouraging the public to report incidents and raise awareness of the crime. You can find out more about hare coursing here Wildlife crime | Essex Police

The forum reaffirmed the commitment of Essex Police and its partners to listening to rural communities and taking action to address their concerns. The next Rural Crime Forum is scheduled for later this year.

If you are a member of the rural community interested in community safety issues and would like to attend a future rural crime forum, please send your expression of interest to PFCC@esex.police.uk