Police and Crime Commissioner’s 2020 St David’s Day Conference to discuss challenges of Policing in Rural Areas

ON 6th March 2020, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, Dafydd Llywelyn, will host his 4th annual St David’s Day Conference at Dyfed-Powys Police Headquarters.

The focus of this year’s event will discuss the challenges of Policing in rural areas. The area served by Dyfed-Powys Police is predominately rural and has over one million hectares of agricultural land. The many remote rural communities present challenges in narrowing down potential criminal pathways.

Guest speakers at the conference include individuals and organisations specialising in countryside matters.

They include Professor Wyn Morris from Aberystwyth University; PC Esther Davies, Rural Crime Officer in Ceredigion; Emma Picton-Jones from the DPJ Foundation, a charity that provides practical support and mental health training to those who work within the agricultural sector; Carmarthenshire County Councillor, Cefin Campbell who is a member of the Executive Board for Communities and Rural Affairs at the Council; and Temporary Detective Superintendent Estelle Hopkin-Davies who is the force lead for Serious Violence and Organised Crime.

The speakers will discuss mental health of individuals living in rural areas, the rural crime survey conducted in 2017 and 2019, Dyfed-Powys’ approach to rural crime, serious violence and organised crime, and Carmarthenshire County Council’s approach to rural crime.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said, “Following on from last year’s successful conference where cyber-crime was discussed, this year’s conference is an exploration of policing in rural areas.

“The four counties of Dyfed-Powys are home to some of the most rural and remote areas of Wales and England. This conference will consider what this means in terms of trying to support people who live in these areas, and what challenges rural communities pose to public services and the emergency services.”