I would like to thank Winchester Riding Club for the opportunity to talk about Hampshire HorseWatch and the Police Equine Liaison.

Want to be positive about Rural Crime? There are a certain number of people out there who most definitely are - they are the ones who will
relieve you of your property! I have been the victim of a crime - my trailer was stolen in broad daylight right under the noses of people exercising their horses!! So I know what it is like to experience a loss. What I would like is for no one to be a victim of a crime. To achieve it you too have to be positive. Individually little can be achieved but collectively the equine community in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can unite in helping to reduce and even defeat crime. So what can you do?

You and Hampshire Horsewatch

Have you ever wanted to be a police officer but didn’t want all the hassle of rules, regulations and worse, wear a uniform - yet want to be positive about stopping crime being committed, well here’s an opportunity to do something for yourself, your friends and community. Hampshire Horsewatch has been created to seek the support of the equine community to work for safer rural communities, to look after their property, horses, tack, stables, trailers, horse boxes more effectively and efficiently. When you are out, be it hacking, going to the stables, or just your everyday business you are in effect on mobile patrol! If you see or hear something which you are unhappy about record it or if the situation demands it - phone the police. You may not realise the importance or relevancy of what it is but later it may be a important piece of evidence. Remember crime can be committed anytime, any place. It can happen to your neighbour as well as you!

Nearly every county has a Horsewatch scheme of some description not only working for the same principles of promoting crime prevention but also linking together to assist in recovering stolen property, where possible. An example of a positive approach to crime prevention is to get tack stamped with the owners post code. This will be implemented through the Horsewatch and Police Equine Liaison.

Hampshire Horsewatch and the Police
Hampshire Horsewatch has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of previous schemes. In the past Horsewatch operated without a foundation upon which to operate. The present Hampshire Horsewatch is very much a community venture working in partnership with the Hampshire Constabulary. In each policing Division there is at least one police officer who has been appointed as an Equine Liaison Officer. This officer is a volunteer to the role but has a genuine interest in horses, most owning their own. These officers have to fit in the Equine Liaison Role with other duties. But at least in your area you will have an officer who can relate to your interest.

In the Winchester area there are two officers who have taken on the role of Equine Liaison Officers. They are WPC Karen Broad who is stationed at Tywford and WPC Sandra Kent (Alton) who is the Beat Officer at Selbourne. To contact both officers call Hampshire Police on 0845 045 45 45 and ask the operator to be put through to their police stations.

Hampshire Horsewatch needs members. There is no catch, no money required to join. The scheme wants the community - yes that’s you! - to join up and support the principles of crime prevention. Better to prevent than cure! The aim is to get the equine community in the two counties to develop a network of local Horsewatch schemes which collectively will be Hampshire Horsewatch. A Central committee will pass information to the local watches through a network of volunteer co-ordinators and vice versa. Information about how to join can be obtained through Winchester Riding Club

Hampshire Horsewatch is on the Internet. It can be found on the Hampshire Constabulary web site www.hampshire.police.uk Just enter the site and click onto the Hampshire Horsewatch logo. In fact the web site is the best medium to keep in touch with Horsewatch as it can be easily accessed and will contain current information. If you haven’t got access to the Internet then ask someone to down load the information for you. In addition to WPC Karen Broad and WPC Sandra Kent three other contact names with which to obtain further information about Hampshire Horsewatch and how to join are as follows:-

Jane Holleyoak, Chairperson Hampshire Horsewatch, Tel 07718 761665
Carolyn Arnold, Special Projects Hampshire Horsewatch, Tel 07977 012377
David Collings, Detective Inspector, Hampshire Constabulary, Tel 07867 972868
Force Equine Liaison Officer,
When possible Equine Liaison Officers and Committee members will attend meetings to talk about Horsewatch and crime prevention.