Plans to improve response to hare coursing

“We are committed to supporting our rural communities and do more to tackle hare coursing”.

That’s from our Chief Constable as he announced a raft of measures to improve the force’s response to the issue.

Seventy-two percent of Essex is classed as rural and there are 250,000 hectares of farmed land in the county, meaning our rural and farming communities form a significant part of the county.

Rural crime has fallen overall in the last year, increasing a halving of incidents where machinery has been stolen, but there has been a marked rise in incidents of hare coursing.

Since August 2025 we’ve seized seven vehicles, issued seven Community Protection Notices (CPNs), and five Community Protection Warnings (CPWs), with 12 individuals dealt with but we acknowledge more needs to be done.

Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington has now announced a range of measures to ensure farmers received a better response and more support.

He said: “Having met farmers who’ve been affected by hare coursing, and the National Farmers Union, I am under no illusions about the damaging impact it can have.

“Our rural and farming communities make up a significant proportion of our population so it’s important we get our response to this issue right.

“The Essex Police Rural Engagement Team does an excellent job dealing with this issue and has had some good results securing charges and seizing vehicles.

“But I know there is more we can do to improve our immediate response to calls so I’m putting in place a raft of measures to do that.

“This includes ensuring that when an emergency call comes in reporting hare coursing taking place, it’s treated in the same way as if someone were to report a robbery in progress for example.

“We’ll also ensure the most suitable team will respond to an emergency, such as the Rural Engagement Team where possible.

“There will be increased training for response and neighbourhood teams in Braintree and Uttlesford so they better understand hare coursing, its importance, and the available tactics, powers and expectations for responding to incidents.

“We will ensure a 4x4 off-road vehicle will be available at peak times for hare coursing, and increase the number of officers who are trained to drive them.

“We’re increasing the availability of our drones to support our response to ongoing incidents, and ensure we’re requesting support from the National Police Air Service.

“All dogs found when we respond to hare coursing incidents will be seized.

“And we will be carrying out specific, targeted operational activity at the start of the traditional hare coursing season in September to deter, prevent, and disrupt those involved.

“We will also be creating a new Rural Independent Advisory Group which will meet regularly. This group will be able to raise issues and information, and hold us and our response to these issues to account.”

Mr Harrington met with the NFU and farmers earlier this week to discuss the issues they have been facing and says he is grateful for their support: “I am really grateful to the farming community for their openness and their support.

“I know there is a really positive working relationship with the Rural Engagement Team and I’m keen that we build upon that.

“There is a huge amount of willingness to work together to tackle this issue and ensure our farming communities feel safer.”

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