In January 2007 PC 3753 Andrew Scourfield began a three-year secondment to the Forestry Commission Wales. He is an operational officer who is part of Communities & Partnerships, K’ division. For the period of the secondment he will be based at the Forestry Commission district office at Resolven, Neath.
History
Over recent years the Forestry Commission in South Wales have seen an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour on their land throughout their South Wales district. The Forestry Commission in South Wales experiences more incidents of crime than any other forest district in the UK. Local communities have raised the issue at many Forestry Commission Community Consultation meetings, some areas are being seen as ‘no go areas’ by the public.
In 2005-06 PC Scourfield conducted an initial six month secondment to ‘scope and assess’ the level of crime and anti-social behaviour on Forestry Commission land. It was recommended in the secondment report that there is a role for a police officer to be seconded to the Forestry Commission on a permanent basis. This recommendation was agreed upon by senior police officers within South Wales Police and as a result has led to the current secondment.
Forestry Commission South Wales district
The district comprises 120 square miles of Forestry Commission managed land or 32,000 hectares and is regarded as Europe’s largest urban forest, spanning from Pembrey in Carmarthenshire to Torfaen in Gwent. Three police forces cover the area, Dyfed-Powys in the West, South Wales and Gwent in the East.
The majority of the district lies within the boundaries of South Wales Police, in fact some divisions have the largest areas of forest to cover than any other county in England and Wales, e.g. G’ division is 33% Forestry Commission land and A’ division 20%.
Crimes & Offences
Approximately fifteen types of offences were identified on Forestry Commission land throughout South Wales, the more common of these are: Off-road vehicle trespass, criminal damage, arson (forest fires), auto-crime, theft, fly-tipping, sexual offences (dogging), concealment of drugs and deer poaching with dogs and high powered rifles.
It is a mistaken belief that forest crime is about wildlife crime, in fact wildlife crime accounts for a small proportion of forest crime, deer poaching and badger baiting are probably the most common types of wildlife crime being committed on Forestry Commission land.
Forest Crime officer’s main roles & responsibilities
- To collate and develop intelligence and information regarding forest crime
- Carry out high visibility mobile, foot and mountain bike patrols
- Identify the respective police units or outside agencies best suited to tackle problem areas
- To liase and work closely with partner agency enforcement officers e.g. Environment Agency and Local Authority Waste enforcement officers.
- Plan and execute police and multi-agency enforcement & covert operations
- Provide Forestry Commission staff with advice in relation to crime prevention and legislation
- Assist, advise and work with local police units in tackling forest crime
- Raise the awareness of forest crime through local and national media
Forest Watch
Forest Watch is a watch scheme that runs on the same principle as a Neighbourhood Watch scheme. The scheme at present is being piloted within G’ division and has over 30 members to date.
The aim of Forest Watch is to encourage members of the public to report incidents of crime and suspicious incidents on Forestry Commission land in order to maximise the amount of intelligence regarding forest crime.
Forest Watch is already proving to be a successful initiative and the intention now is to develop a network of Forest Watch groups throughout South Wales, each group feeding information and intelligence into the National Intelligence Model.
Examples of information and intelligence already gained through Forest Watch are:
- Develop a network of ‘Forest Watch’ schemes throughout the South Wales area in order to maximise information & intelligence
- The recovery within 24 hours of a burnt out transit van concealed in the forest, the vehicle was used in a serious assault where a male person was attacked to the face with an axe
- The identity of persistent large scale fly tippers who are also involved in more serious areas of crime, such as class A drug dealing and auto-crime
- Illegal hunting and deer poaching with dogs and firearms
- Hot spot areas for unlawful off-roading and the abandonment of stolen vehicles
As a result of intelligence already collated, a number of operations have been executed, these include:
- The identity of isolated areas where stolen vehicles are being brought into the forestry and stripped down for component parts
- Operation Aylesbury – multi-agency off-road vehicle operations, targeting problem areas associated with unlawful off-road activity. The operations have led to scores of section 59 warnings being issued, persons arrested and many vehicles seized.
- Operation Waste - Police/Environment Agency high visibility waste enforcement stop-check operations, targeting unlicensed waste carriers and deterring would be fly tippers. The operations have led to a number of prosecutions by the Environment Agency’s Crime Team for offences under the Environmental Protection Act.
- Operation Acheron – A joint Police and Environment Agency covert surveillance operation targeting the abandonment of vehicles and fly tippers using the forests in the Afan Valley. Two arrests followed this operation.
- Operation Pablo - Police Mounted Section high visibility forest patrols
If you have any information or require advice or assistance regarding forest crime please don’t hesitate in contacting PC Andrew Scourfield at the address below:
Forest Crime Officer
Forestry Commission
Coed Y Cymoedd
Resolven
Neath
SA11 4DR
Tel: 01633 580234
Mobile: 07867940246
Email: andrew.scourfield@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
