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Beaters on the beat?

Richard Downs' gamekeeping experience is valuable to his work as a rural special constable

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By Will Finch

Friday, 24 August 2012

Special constable appeals for keepers and shooters to volunteer to help rural communities

A Hertfordshire gamekeeper and rural special constable has appealed for more keepers and shooters to get involved with volunteer police work in an effort to keep their local areas safe.

Richard Downs, 46, is a gamekeeper with the Holtsmere End shoot near Redbourn, and puts his expert knowledge of rural life to use when he joins Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Safer Neighbourhoods Team for patrols of his local countryside.

He said: “Through my role, I regularly liaise with landowners and farmers, and I can find myself involved in everything from patrolling country lanes, keeping an eye out for speeding drivers and dealing with fly-tipping, to tackling poaching and helping to deal with injured livestock and wildlife.

“I believe gamekeepers, farmers and anyone with an interest in wildlife and rural issues can make a valuable contribution to Hertfordshire Constabulary as a rural special.

The rest of this article appears in the 22nd August issue of Shooting Times.

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The rest of this article appears in the 4th July issue of Shooting Times.

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Join other ST readers in our forums to discuss your views.