WARWICKSHIRE will be in the spotlight this weekend as the county’s rural crime fighting efforts will feature on the BBC’s Countryfile.
Presenter Tom Heap, a Warwickshire resident himself, visits a successful community speed watch scheme in Brinklow near Rugby, where he hears how trained volunteers, supported by their Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team, are tackling speeding problems in the village.
The volunteers record the speeds of vehicles travelling through the village, reporting anybody travelling over the national limits to the police who will then contact the driver to warn them of their actions.
The BBC film crew also met pupils at The Revel School who had their bicycles security marked by their Safer Neighbourhood Team, as part of a drive to ensure village communities get their valuables marked as a deterrent to thieves.
Tom then went on to interview one of the new Warwickshire Mounted Police Support Volunteers, a project funded by Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Ball. The scheme will see the volunteers become additional eyes and ears for the community while out riding – providing additional information for the police.
Mr Ball said: “Tackling rural crime is one of the key priorities of my Police and Crime Plan for Warwickshire and I have invested considerably in a range of initiatives to ensure residents feel safe, businesses are protected and that rural areas receive appropriate police attention.
“I was naturally delighted when Countryfile contacted us to say that they wanted to come and film crime prevention initiatives in the county and, while what they have filmed is but a snapshot of the work going on across Warwickshire, it is nevertheless great to see it given a national spotlight.”
The programme will be broadcast on Sunday July 19 on BBC One at 7.10pm.
