Deer and hare carcasses used in Nottinghamshire Police anti-poaching training
Hare coursing, poaching and firearms were all on the agenda during a hands-on training day for officers responding to offences in rural areas.
During a day of learning on the Thoresby Estate on Wednesday, Crime Scene Investigators used real deer and hare carcasses to instruct officers from Nottinghamshire Police Force on how to recover and retain forensic evidence.
Representatives from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) were also on hand to instruct officers on firearms legislation, and the differences between legal deer stalking and illegal poaching.
The animal carcasses, responsibly and legally sourced from the estate, were arranged in the wild and in the boot of a vehicle to simulate attacks by dogs.
Participants were then instructed on how to identify and process dog saliva, which can then be traced either to a particular breed or animal.
Just 24 hours after the training had been completed, an officer in Worksop was able to put some of this learning into practice when a dead muntjac was found during a search warrant.
Inspector Rob Harrison, district commander for Bassetlaw, said: "This was a really useful and well-received exercise that also shows just how seriously we take these kinds of offences.
"People who illegally hunt and kill our wildlife not only cause great suffering to the animals they kill; they can also cause great harm and distress to people living and working in our countryside.
"These are serious criminals who frankly can leave behind a trail of destruction as they go about hunting and killing animals purely for enjoyment.”
Chief Inspector Clive Collings, rural crime lead at Nottinghamshire Police, said: "I was really pleased to see so many officers taking part in this training, and I am thankful to the Thoresby Estate and to our friends at BASC for all their help and support on the day.
"This kind of in-the-field training is invaluable to officers working in rural areas, and I am delighted to learn that one of the attendees has already put her newfound knowledge to good use."