Police patrols target poaching and hare coursing

A police force has launched dedicated patrols to target poachers and hare coursers.

Dorset Police said Operation Galileo would see its Rural Crime Team (RCT) officers protect agricultural land and deal "robustly" with perpetrators, which it said would build on the work of previous years.

The first deployment on Friday evening focussed on rural areas of east and north Dorset, where poaching reports are most common.

Sgt Mia Jakeman, of the RCT, said: "Poaching and related offences do not only involve cruelty to wild animals, they also have a significant financial impact on rural landowners during what is a crucial time of year for them."

Dorset Police said the RCT was joined by colleagues from the roads policing team, responding to "information and intelligence around poaching offences and related suspicious activity, including vehicles using the county's road network".

Officers stopped a number of vehicles during the operation, including two suspected of having cloned number plates.

Sgt Jakeman said her team was committed to working with rural communities "to ensure we protect their property and respond effectively to any reports of poaching or related activity".

She added: "We want to be clear that poaching is not a sport or a bit of fun, it is a serious criminal offence – often linked to organised crime networks – that has serious consequences and we will ensure anyone involved in this criminality is dealt with robustly."

Hare coursing is an illegal bloodsport involving the use of dogs to hunt hares.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick, who joined officers on the latest deployment, said poaching and hare coursing had a "devastating impact" on farming communities, landowners and "our precious countryside".

He said specialist drone operators were also being used to target poaching and hare coursing "hotspots".

"These crimes are far from victimless," he explained.

"They cause distress to landowners, threaten livestock and wildlife, damage crops and property, and are often linked to wider organised criminality."

He concluded: "If you target Dorset's countryside, Dorset Police will target you."

Dorset Police recently unveiled a new 4x4 to help officers access remote rural locations more quickly and effectively.