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Police forces told to stop wasting time chasing hunts
Anna Davis15 May 2009
Police have been told to stop monitoring hunts and concentrate on more important priorities.
In a move that undermines the ban, hunts will also no longer be required to tell police of the time and place of planned meets. The new guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers states police should rely on anti-hunt activists to produce information instead.
The country's most senior officers approved the guidance this week. It urges police to avoid “acrimonious, time-consuming, frustrating and ultimately fruitless activity”.
Richard Brunstrom, Acpo spokesman on rural affairs, said: “Hunting is definitely not a policing priority. It is not illegal to wear a red coat and ride a horse in a public place. We are not very well equipped to follow hunts and get evidence and nor do we think we can justify it. Pursuing hunts is an expensive and sophisticated operation.”
Since the Hunting Act came into force in 2004 there have been eight prosecutions. Three of those were successful. Police have also complained that their neutrality has been compromised because of the ban. Freedom of information requests had forced them to release information to activists who have disrupted hunts.
Mr Brunstrom also raised concerns about militants becoming involved with anti-hunt organisations. In the future forces have been advised to be “very cautious” of anti-hunt activists.
He added: “If you look at hunting, the penalties do not include a prison sentence for offenders. This puts the Hunting Act to the lower rather than the higher end of offences.”
The Act was introduced by the Labour government. It took up 700 hours of parliamentary time. David Cameron has made it clear he favours a repeal. A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said: “We have always understood what a difficult job the police have in dealing with such a confusing piece of legislation. But the guidance suggests that the sort of engagement some police forces have had with animal rights groups should, quite rightly, be avoided.”
A spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sport said: “A ban was the will of Parliament and is the will of the people and we are going to press for more prosecutions to be brought.”
Reader views (2)
"spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sport said: A ban was the will of Parliament"
Nope IIRC it was forced through by usage of the undemocratic 1949 Parliament Act.
I'm still not at all keen on Hunting but I dislke mendacity by pressure groups even more.
- Ethan, UK, 15/05/2009 14:22
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Ah yes: thanks for reminding us of that old Hobby-Horse that Labour was so obsessed with for so long - way more important, as it was, than properly managing the economy!
- Roz, France, 15/05/2009 11:58
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