As a member of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), we helped launch a new strategy recently which aims to tackle crime and concerns across Scotland with the expressed aim of making rural citizens feel safer.

Led by Police Scotland, the 22 partners include the Crown Office and Scottish Fire and rescue alongside corporations, sector representatives and other organisations.

Providing strategic focus and an ethos of collective understanding, SPARC is committed to listening and acknowledging local and national concerns to reduce perceived fear of crime, whilst promoting a culture where individuals can prosper.

This is achieved through providing practical crime prevention advice, supporting intelligence gathering which may result in enforcement, as well as empowerment and reassurance.

SPARC aims to change people’s perceptions, to educate and to raise awareness of rural crime, and of the impact it can have on Scotland’s rural communities and environment.