Operation Buzzard aims to coordinate all rural crime-related operations in Essex by making the best use of specialist teams in the police force and partners to tackle crime in rural communities.

Launching the operation on a farm near Orsett, Essex Police rural and heritage crime officer PC Andy Long said that officers have access to new technologies, including drones.

“The idea is that criminals in Essex will not know when we are watching. If you are going about your business committing crime you won’t know that there is a drone overhead on farm land that we have permission to fly on,” he said.

PC Long said that partner organisations such as the Environment Agency and the Angling Trust were also being involved in Operation Buzzard.

“We are asking members of the public and farmers to be our eyes and ears and we are going to work together to eliminate rural crime,” he said.

Listen to Co Meath mixed farmer Michael Garrigan speaking about a theft on his farm and the need for aerial surveillance by Garda in rural areas in Ireland below:

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