Police Forces Join Forces to Smash Hare Coursing Crime
Seven police forces, including Kent Police, have teamed up to crush rural crime, particularly targeting illegal hare coursing. Since September, borders between Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Kent have been lifted for specific tactics, making it easier to catch and prosecute offenders.
Borderless Policing Nets Big Results
The groundbreaking agreement, backed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), lets the forces act as one when using special powers. Over the past six months, this has boosted the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), vehicle seizures, and the sharing of intelligence on suspects.
The crackdown also ties into the national Operation Galileo targeting hare coursing gangs.
“By working collaboratively we have been significantly more effective, leading to a big drop in hare coursing reports,” said Sergeant Darren Walshaw of Kent Police’s Rural Task Force.
“Across the region, hare coursing has fallen by 31%. But Kent is leading the charge with a 37% drop — 329 reports between September 2021 and March 2022, down from 523 the year before. That’s 194 fewer incidents.”
“We’ll keep working together to smash illegal coursing, lamping, and poaching.”
Rural Communities Fight Back
Hare coursing usually kicks off in September, when fields are ripe after harvest. It’s a nasty blood sport that tramples crops, harms wildlife, and intimidates rural communities — sometimes sparking violence.
Farmers and landowners are urged to block field entrances with ditches, fencing, trees, or concrete-filled barrels to keep offenders out.
CPS: Tough Prosecutions Ahead
Sally Robinson, District Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, said:
“Hare coursing gangs have long exploited police borders to avoid capture, causing cruelty and chaos in rural areas.
“By combining legal expertise with the operational skills of seven forces and removing borders for certain tactics, we’ve built stronger cases that make it tougher to offend.”
“The CPS takes wildlife crime seriously and will continue working with police to bring offenders to justice.”
Spot Hare Coursing? Here’s What to Do
- If you witness hare coursing, dial 999 immediately. Provide details like descriptions, vehicle numbers, locations, and directions — but don’t confront the criminals.
- If you have info but no incident is happening, or if you’ve been a victim, call 101 or report via the Kent Police website.
