Fox hunting protests lead to major changes to Wiltshire crime team

The team was the subject of protests after a Facebook post last month announced that PC Cheryl Knight had joined.

It was soon revealed that PC Knight had posted photos of herself at both the Avon Vale and Beaufort Fox hunts onto her personal Facebook page.

Scores of people gathered outside police HQ in Devizes earlier this month to protest the appointment.

On Tuesday, Wiltshire Police said that an internal review had been carried out into the rural crime team and that there would be more "scrutiny" around the suitability of officers, staff and volunteers within the unit.

The force also said there had been some staffing changes, but added it would "not be appropriate for us to comment on individual cases".

Many people turned out to protest at Wiltshire Police HQ in Devizes over the news. (Image: Trevor Porter)

The statement from Wiltshire Police said: “As with all functions of policing, we regularly review our resourcing and policing approach to ensure we can provide the best possible service to the public.

“To this end, we commissioned an internal review of our Rural Crime Team (RCT), which has resulted in us establishing a framework to ensure the suitability of our personnel working within the unit.

“The new framework will provide more scrutiny around the suitability of our officers, staff and volunteers to work within the unit. It sets out key principles to ensure staff do not have personal links to hunts past or present, do not have links to any anti-hunt groups past or present and requires staff disclose links to any rural based hobby or initiative that could potentially call into question their policing impartiality.

There was a clear message at the protest earlier this month. (Image: Trevor Porter)

“This has already resulted in some staffing changes although it would not be appropriate for us to comment on individual cases.

“Although it is important to stress that, to date, none of our colleagues in the unit (past or present) have been found to have breached legislation or guidance, we accept that some resourcing decisions we made as an organisation have distracted from the crucial work the team do.

“We appreciate there has been considerable public scrutiny regarding this team however, the action we have taken should reassure our communities that we will continue to police without fear or favour and, when appropriate, we will respond pragmatically to concerns when they are raised.”