FOI 3462 Wildlife Crime Officers
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 23 December 2011. Please find below the response to your request:
1. The budgeted figure and actual spend (where available) on wildlife crime policing in your force in the years 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12.
Reply
No specific recorded information held.
2. The number of Wildlife Crime Officers in your force area for each of those years, and the proportion of their time which was/is devoted to policing wildlife crime.
Reply
There is no specific recorded information held regarding time dedicated to Wildlife Crime investigations/duties as all West Mercia Wildlife Crime Officers (WCO) are volunteers and perform the role in addition to their normal duties. Not all Wildlife Crime incidents are allocated or investigated by a dedicated WCO but can be assigned to any operational police officer who would seek the relevant advice from one of the appointed WCO's.
The number of officers who acted as WCOs in addition to their normal duties for the years requested are as follows:
2006-07 - no specific recorded information held
2007-08 -10
2008-09 -12
2009-10 -10
2010-11 -12
2011-12 -8 (this number has recently reduced due to a number of retirements and role changes/promotions).
3. The number of wildlife crime operations carried out in each of the above years.
Reply
The number of Wildlife Operations carried out in each of the above years is unknown as no recorded information has been kept. However since 2009 the Force Operations Department has provided monthly returns to the National Wildlife Crime Unit detailing the number of recorded Wildlife incidents recorded on the Force Operational Information System (OIS). The yearly returns are as follows:-
The number of Wildlife Operations carried out in each of the above years is unknown as no recorded information has been kept. However since 2009 the Force Operations Department has provided monthly returns to the National Wildlife Crime Unit detailing the number of recorded Wildlife incidents recorded on the Force Operational Information System (OIS). The yearly returns are as follows:-
2009 - 38 (only part year recorded)
2010 - 120
2011 - 179
4. Whether your force has any specialist vehicles or equipment allocated for wildlife crime enforcement, and when this was acquired for the force.
Reply
The Force do not have any specialist vehicles or equipment associated with wildlife crime enforcement however each WCO is issued the following Personal Protection Equipment and associated equipment:-
Nitrile Gloves, First Aid Kit, Head Torch, Waterproof Jacket, Wire Cutters, Long Nose Pliers, Respirator, Goggles, Safety Boots, Safety Wellingtons, Hard Hat, Bird of Prey Glove, Plastic Bags (18 x 24), Property Ties Long, White Tyvec Coveralls, Police Marked Holdall, PSU Shin Guards, Boiler suits, box Trigene Wipes, Hi Vis LW Jacket (badged Wildlife Liaison Officer)
5. Any additional funding specifically for wildlife crime policing, made available to you from either national funds, charities, commercial and/or any other bodies, and the details of any conditions attached to such funding.
Reply
None
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