The task: Inside Information was appointed to promote Country Watch, a rural community policing scheme devised by Thames Valley Police.
The aim: Country Watch helped patrol officers protect rural areas more effectively with go-anywhere 4x4s, backed by volunteer observers.
The beginning: an approach to Land Rover led to the sponsoring of territory signs for farmers and businesses.
The partnership evolved fast with the loan of Land Rover Defender 4X4s and a series of supporting events and initiatives.
A launch with four Country Watch-branded Land Rovers attracted BBC Radio 4 ’s ‘Farming Today’ programme and national newspapers.
Twelve more local Country Watch schemes were rapidly introduced across the force’s three-county beat.
News of the scheme’s success led to a joint national Country Watch conference that won over 20 UK forces and resulted in similar schemes across England and Wales.
The result:
For Thames Valley Police, there was a sustained year-on-year reduction in rural crime, credited largely to the Country Watch scheme – which led to its recognition as the Crime Prevention Initiative of the year at the International Policing and Security Conference in Canada.
For Land Rover, the partnership helped create a business climate in which vehicles worth £500,000 were supplied to Thames Valley Police for Country Watch and associated schemes.
