EYES in the sky will help Warwickshire Police fight crime in the countryside.
Two officers and three Special Officers from the force’s Rural Crime Team have been training to use two drones purchased for the team by local authorities in North Warwickshire, Stratford and Warwick District.
The drones will be used on dedicated operations, patrols and responses to incidents, assisting the team in addressing rural crime and the offenders who target rural communities. All deployments will be in line with guidance from the Civil Aviation Authority and for policing purposes only.
Two further officers have been trained and are now equipped as part of the force’s Dual Purpose Bike Team, who tackle anti-social behaviour caused by off-road vehicles such as motorcycles, quad bikes and 4×4 vehicles. This is in addition to the latest thermal imaging and night vision equipment received by the team.
Insp Allison Wiggin, Rural Crime lead at Warwickshire Police, said: “This is a really exciting time for the Rural Crime team. The drones and dual purpose bikes will be extremely beneficial to officers and will ensure our capability to tackle rural crime is improved even further.
“Since its formation in October 2019, the Rural Crime Team have recovered nearly £700,000 worth of agricultural vehicles, plant and tools and this additional equipment will assist them further in targeting criminals affecting farms and rural areas.
“These additional investments will give us greater ability to fight crime, arrest criminals and keep people safe.”
