February 1, 2016 10.34 am This story is over 96 months old

“Recruitment blitz” proposed to tackle rural crime in Lincolnshire

Parish constables: An army of volunteers tasked with fighting rural crime has been proposed by a Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner candidate.

An army of volunteers tasked with fighting rural crime has been proposed by a candidate standing to become the next Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

Conservative county councillor Marc Jones has said that if elected he would appoint so-called ‘parish constables’ in communities across the county.

The new roles would mirror those of special constables who work on a voluntary basis, but who wear uniform and still hold the same powers as regular officers.

A “recruitment blitz” of parish constables would take place in villages across Lincolnshire, and the volunteers would be given full training before joining the beat.

Parish constables would be permanently based in their communities with flexible hours to work around their other responsibilities.

Marc Jones said: “If elected in May I will launch a recruitment blitz for a new team of parish constables who will be fully trained and sourced from our close-knit communities.

“Lots of reliable people volunteer for their community, take school governors for example, and becoming a parish constable would be no different.

“The benefits will be two-fold with not only increased police accessibility but a bigger presence too to make people feel safer and ward off criminals.”

Peter Moulds, who runs Grange Farm in Torksey, met with Councillor Jones and fellow Lincolnshire County councillor, Stuart Kinch, to share his experiences of rural crime.

He said: “Rural crime might not always grab the headlines but it is a persistent problem which can have devastating consequences for businesses and the local economy.

“I have spoken to Marc and I believe his idea of recruiting of local volunteers to help police the countryside is something very worthwhile and could make a real difference.”