Staffing changes made after review into Wiltshire Police's Rural Crime Team
Staff and volunteers have to disclose any links with countryside campaigns or hobbies
Last updated 30th Mar 2023
An internal review by Wiltshire Police of the Rural Crime Team has brought in a new framework and seen staffing changes.
The new framework has been established to ensure that personnel working with the unit are suitable and provide more scrutiny around the unit.
The key principles are aimed at ensuring staff do not have personal links to hunts past or present, do not have links to any anti-hunt groups past or present and requires staff disclose links to any rural based hobby or initiative that may see their policing impartiality questioned.
A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said:
"This has already resulted in some staffing changes although it would not be appropriate for us to comment on individual cases.
"Although it is important to stress that, to date, none of our colleagues in the unit (past or present) have been found to have breached legislation or guidance, we accept that some resourcing decisions we made as an organisation have distracted from the crucial work the team do.
"We appreciate there has been considerable public scrutiny regarding this team however, the action we have taken should reassure our communities that we will continue to police without fear or favour and, when appropriate, we will respond pragmatically to concerns when they are raised."