A councillor has hit out at the Police and Crime Commissioner over his claims that she "going back on her word" on rural crime.
Councillor David Martin, who represents Selston on Nottinghamshire County Council for the Ashfield Independents, has described Caroline Henry’s decision not to set up a dedicated rural crime team as “disappointing.”
He has accused her of breaking a key manifesto pledge to people in rural areas like Jacksdale, Selston and Underwood in Nottinghamshire.
Mrs Henry, however, says she is cracking down on rural crime through other means - such as new drones and vehicles - rather than through a dedicated team.
Councillor Martin said: “Residents in rural areas like Selston voted Conservative in May’s Police and Crime Commissioner elections on the basis that Mrs Henry would set up a team dedicated to tackling rural crimes like the theft of machinery and sheep rustling.
"To find out that the Tory crime boss has gone back on her word is disgraceful. Farmers and residents alike in our rural communities feel let down and rightly so.
"Ask anybody in places like Selston Parish if they see the police proactively patrolling our rural communities and they’ll tell you they are more likely to see Shergar down Nottingham Road in Selston.
"A rural police presence simply doesn’t exist and that’s what makes this broken promise even more hard to stomach. Residents tell me they call Police101 and if they can get through nothing ever happens.
"I will be making my points clear during the Commissioner’s consultation and nothing short of a full rural task team will suffice.
"It’s no wonder that residents in rural communities like ours feel increasingly remote from the police they pay for and who are meant to represent their interests.”
In a campaign video published on March 31 this year, Mrs Henry said that “Labour have let down our Nottinghamshire farmers.” and that she wanted to “end the neglect of Nottinghamshire farmers and end once and for all get tough on rural crime.”
Mrs Henry, announced Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Plan for 2021-25 last month.
A formal consultation is ongoing with partner agencies.
Commissioner Henry said: "Nothing could be further from the truth than suggesting that I have moved away from treating rural crime as a priority.
"Just this week, I have pledged to commit almost £80,000 to provide drones, additional 4x4 rural vehicles with search lights and thermal imaging equipment for the first time to help Nottinghamshire Police treat rural crime as its own priority.
"I asked the force what it needed to provide a better response to rural crime and this was their answer, rather than at this stage, a rural crime team.
"I am insisting upon a new focus on recognising and identifying crimes which take place because of their rural location in the force control room and on the front line.
"In addition, I have engaged with the National Farmers' Union to work with the whole force to understand why crimes take place in the countryside which is the first step to tackling them more effectively than ever before."
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