As the hare coursing season gets underway Lincolnshire Police’s Specialist Operations teams will be deployed daily to actively search for hare coursers who come into Lincolnshire to take part in this illegal and barbaric activity.
The force’s response will be led by our Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT). Their expertise and specialist knowledge have brought many hare coursers to justice over the last few years.
The Specialist Operations Department also includes officers from Armed Policing, Roads Policing, the Dog Section and the Tactical Support Team. They will be using marked and unmarked cars, vans, drones, off-road vehicles and motorbikes to target criminals who commit crime in our rural communities.
Officers will be patrolling the county, acting on intelligence, and any reported incidents every day. Often offenders are part of organised crime groups who are also involved in other criminal activities, using hare coursing as scouting trips for other illegal activity. Hare coursing is the hobby of some of these groups; illegally gambling thousands of pounds on dogs catching and killing a hare.
Since new legislation was introduced in August 2022, police have seen a reduction in reported incidents across the county. This legislation gives police the powers to arrest hare coursers going equipped. Historically, officers could only arrest if there was evidence of active hare coursing in progress, which was often very difficult to prove; this is not now the case and we are able to search out those who choose to set their dogs running to kill hares.
During the 23-24 season we saw 256 incidents reported, and 13 people arrested for offences relating to hare coursing; 14 dogs and eight vehicles were seized during that period.
In comparison to the same period the previous year, 33 people were arrested for hare coursing offences, 11 vehicles and 40 dogs were seized. We believe that the new powers that came with the 2022 legislation meant that our strengthened ability to enforce deterred more hare coursers from coming to the county.
During the last five years we have also seized:
- 126 dogs
- A firearm
- 51 phones
- 12 cameras/video recorders
- 11 pairs of binoculars
- 13 thermal imaging devices
- 4 knives or weapons
Inspector Chris Davis, from Specialist Operations, said: “No-one wants people coming onto their land, pursuing, and killing hares; it is simply barbaric. The crime, violence and intimidation felt by farmers is unacceptable”.
“The rural crime team are passionate about reducing crime and as importantly the fear of crime in our rural communities. While our resources are deployed on Op Galileo patrols, they will be acting on intelligence, stopping vehicles which may flag interest on our intelligence systems, including ANPR, and attending reports of hare coursing or suspicious activity.
“We know offenders will film or live stream their activities for the purpose of illegal betting and thousands of pounds can change hands. This is why it is so detrimental to hare coursers to have their dogs seized. This is a cruel pastime that must stop.
“Today is about hare coursing but we have much to do to make sure our rural communities feel safe, wildlife is protected and criminals are brought to justice.”
Operation Galileo brings forces across the country to work together and use every available policing tactic to stop these offenders. By taking this approach we can get offenders banned from driving, seize their vehicles and their dogs, putting a halt to their illegal activities.
The legislation allows officers to arrest, search and prosecute anyone found going equipped for, search for, or pursue hares with dogs and an offence to trespass with intent to search for or pursue a hare with dogs. We will use this legislation at every available opportunity.
Our officers are determined to protect our rural community from the stress and anxiety these offenders bring to their doors. Thousands of pounds’ worth of damage can be caused when vehicles are driven over the land, damaging crops, and farmers can face completely unacceptable intimidation and violence.
We are also grateful for the support of our rural communities. The fight against crime is best achieved with the help of the public, so our ask, in relation to hare coursing, is when anyone sees any live incidents of hare coursing taking place to call 999, let the Control Room know what has been seen including any vehicle descriptions and number plates where possible. For anyone who sees anything they feel is suspicious and related to hare coursing, call 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.
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