UFU Welcomes launch of new Rural Crime Unit
The Ulster Farmers’ Union has welcomed Justice Minister David Ford’s announcement to form a new Rural Crime Unit within the Police Service of Northern Ireland that will focus specifically on analysing trends and deliver practical solutions to tackle the issue of rural crime. The Union has also commended NFU Mutual for co-financing this initiative.
UFU Deputy President Barclay Bell said; “Rural crime is an issue that the Union takes very seriously due to the impact it has on rural businesses, the sustainability of these businesses and on the local rural community. The UFU has always been very active in bringing the issue of rural crime to the fore and has continued to work closely with the Department of Justice, Policing Board and the PSNI to raise awareness and lobby for a consistent and joined up approach to tackling this growing problem. A number of innovative projects such as the Farmwatch scheme, trailer marking, and text alerts are already underway in various regions across Northern Ireland and we are hopeful that the introduction of the new Rural Crime Unit will help in significantly reducing both rural and agricultural crime.”
The UFU now looks forward to the early implementation of the new Rural Crime Unit and hopes that it can deliver on reducing crime in rural areas.
