Rural Watch

Cheshire Police work closely with a range of organisations and individuals within rural communities to fight crime. We provide practical help for residents through our RuralWatch scheme and encourage neighbours to look out for each other.

Rural Watch is the overarching initiative for the sharing of information across Cheshire’s rural communities to tackle criminality and other issues affecting them. Rural Watch is operated by local groups who are given advice on improving security and given signs to display to deter criminals.

The main aims of Rural Watch are:

  • to provide Rural Watch signs to deter criminals and anti-social behaviour
  • to encourage telephone and email contact between the community and Cheshire Police about crimes that are being committed and suspicious circumstances.
  • to encourage rural communities to take crime prevention and deterrent action.

Participating in a Rural Watch scheme can increase feelings of safety and security in rural areas, enhance the prevention and detection of crime, and help Cheshire Police to bring offenders to justice and recover stolen property.

Within Rural Watch there are a number of smaller Watch schemes which focus on specific issues. These include:

  • Farm Watch
  • Peregrine Watch
  • Horse Watch
  • Poacher Watch