Seven police forces across England have teamed up as part of a new effort to tackle hare coursing and its impact the crime has on farming communities.
The borders between the forces, which include Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent, have been removed, making apprehending and prosecuting offenders easier.
The agreement, which been completed with the support of the Crown Prosecution Service, means the forces become one when using certain powers.
This will assist with the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), the seizure of dogs and the sharing of all interactions and movements of people suspected to be involved in hare coursing.
This move supports the ongoing national hare coursing initiative - Operation Galileo – which aims to tackle the crime.
Hare coursing traditionally begins in September when the fields have been harvested and ploughed, making them the perfect ground for the illegal blood sport.
The crime causes damage to crops, harms animal welfare and threatens the rural community. It can result in intimidation and even violence toward farmers.
Landowners are urged by police to consider blocking entrances to their fields with ditches, fencing or trees or even barriers like barrels filled with concrete.
Police Constable Stuart Grant from Bedfordshire Police said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to reach this agreement. It’s an important step forward in our ongoing efforts to tackle hare coursing and rid our rural areas of this cruel blood sport.
“The agreement effectively means that anyone caught committing anti-social behaviour (ASB) related to coursing, say in Norfolk, would be seen as also committing this in Kent.
“If the same person were to carry on their behaviour in Kent, proactive measures can take place using the ASB legislation, and if that same person was to continue for a third time, in say Bedfordshire, a prosecution can commence – alongside any other action as a result of early behaviour.
“It means that if someone is involved in three incidents of ASB linked to hare coursing they will be prosecuted, irrespective of which area they commit the offences in."
The subsequent prosecution would then allow officers to apply for court orders following conviction.
These can include driving disqualifications, Criminal Behaviour Orders, and the forfeiture of assets - for example dogs and vehicles.
