There is no doubt crimes against wildlife are on the increase in this country, and one of the reasons is the perpetrators can get away with it.

I find it particularly depressing Essex Police no longer has the willpower nor the resources to respond to crimes against wildlife.

There is now just one police officer trained in the protection of wildlife to cover the whole county.

This solitary officer, whose title is the Essex Wildlife Crime Co-Ordinator, not only has to combat the illegal importation of exotic animals through the port of Harwich and Stansted Airport, but also covers any reported wildlife crime anywhere in the county!

What is the point of having Acts of Parliament which make it illegal to harm protected species and their environment, if there are insufficient resources to investigate and prosecute anyone breaking those laws?

Some other counties manage to allocate sufficient resources to combat wildlife crime, why can’t Essex? Requests to the chief constable for additional help have fallen on very deaf ears.

Reports of wildlife crime are no different to any other criminal act in that they need to be responded to as soon as possible if there is to be any hope of bringing the culprits to justice.

Essex is beginning to become a soft touch.

C W M Idwal
Tey Road
Aldham