Police anti-poaching training with BASC pays off within 24 hours

BASC helped train Nottinghamshire Police officers in tackling poaching and hare coursing at a hands-on day on the Thoresby Estate, advising on firearms law and the difference between legal deer stalking and illegal poaching. Within 24 hours of the training on Wednesday, 21 October, one attending officer had put it to use when a dead muntjac was found during the execution of a search warrant in Worksop.

What did the training day cover?

The day brought together officers who respond to offences in rural areas. Alongside BASC’s input on firearms legislation, crime scene investigators showed officers how to recover and retain forensic evidence from wildlife crime scenes. Deer and hare carcasses, responsibly and legally sourced from the estate, were placed in the open and in the boot of a vehicle to recreate the aftermath of attacks by dogs, and officers learned how to identify and process dog saliva, which can be traced to a particular breed or animal.

Lewis Thornley, BASC Central regional director, said: “Poaching and hare coursing are cruel, criminal acts that have nothing to do with legal shooting. They cause real fear in rural communities and the shooting community wants to see those responsible brought to justice as much as anyone. Helping officers understand firearms law and the clear line between lawful deer management and poaching means they can respond with confidence when they are called out.”

How do the police see the problem?

Inspector Rob Harrison, district commander for Bassetlaw, said the exercise showed how seriously the force takes the offences: “These are serious criminals who frankly can leave behind a trail of destruction as they go about hunting and killing animals purely for enjoyment. It is also very different to the practices of legal and licensed stalkers who are employed to control wildlife populations and are appropriately trained and equipped to do so.”

Chief Inspector Clive Collings, rural crime lead at Nottinghamshire Police, thanked the Thoresby Estate and BASC and said the in-the-field training was “invaluable to officers working in rural areas”, adding he was delighted one attendee had “already put her newfound knowledge to good use”.

What happens next

BASC’s regional teams work with police forces, landowners and rural organisations across the UK on wildlife crime, and the association encourages anyone who witnesses suspected poaching or hare coursing to report it to the police straight away. Forces elsewhere can approach their BASC regional team about similar training.