The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) hosted on-farm training for Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers as approximately 230 neighbourhood, district support and crime prevention officers, received training on a UFU member’s family farm in their district.
UFU deputy president William Irvine said:
“We were extremely pleased with the number of PSNI officers who took part in the on-farm training and their engagement at each session.
“The officers’ eagerness to learn and understand rural issues reflected a sincere dedication and passion to protecting rural communities and families to the best of their ability.
“They were able to enhance their farming knowledge as the training provided officers with a better understanding of rural life and the necessary skills to handle extremely difficult and distressing issues experienced by rural families.
Irvine said that the PSNI will apply their training to all rural calls, enhancing their response with huge benefits for rural dwellers.
“Living rurally has many positives but it does not come without its challenges as services become more centralised, making rural dwellers feel isolated and without essential support, he added.”
“Centralising vital services can result in service providers becoming detached from rural life and the needs of local people, which is why this training for PSNI officers is so important.
“The most notable example of vital services being centralised is the recent news of the temporary removal of emergency services in the South West Acute Hospital.
“It’s extremely worrying for rural residents in that area and is a matter that we continue to monitor closely.
“Following the success of the training, as an extension, the UFU are coaching PSNI trainers to deliver classroom-based teaching of the on-farm events, to officers who were unable to attend.
“We’re also hoping to work with the PSNI to make the on-farm training available more regularly to new recruits and existing officers going forward.”
