Dorset Police is keen that rural communities become fully informed of potential crimes in their areas.

The Rural Crime Team has launched a podcast series, County Cast, as a new way to engage with farmers, agricultural workers and residents across rural areas of the county.

Country Cast,, which comprises of eight episodes, is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music.

Rural communities in Dorset are affected by some very specific issues and types of crimes. The Rural Crime Team was created in 2016 as a direct response to these issues.

Nearly half of Dorset’s population live in rural areas and the county has an abundance of diverse wildlife, which can be a target for poaching and other wildlife crime.

Police Constable Claire Dinsdale, rural crime team co-ordinator, said: “Research shows that many farmers and workers in our county listen to podcasts in their tractors and vehicles. These podcasts provide a way for us to connect directly with our rural audience and spread important advice and information to support them.

“This series offers advice on how you can support the police in protecting our beautiful countryside, as well as providing you with some top tips on preventing crime, such as poaching, livestock worrying and improving your site security.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, David Sidwick said: “It’s crucial to tackle rural crime in Dorset and that is why I have made it one of the main priorities in my upcoming police and crime plan.

“The Rural Crime Team has really responded to their audience with these podcasts – it’s a fantastic way of raising awareness around rural crime and getting the message out about what’s happening in the Dorset area.”

Two of the episodes feature guest appearances from the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Farming Community Network (FCN). You can find all the episodes and choose which platform to listen on here: https://countrycast.buzzsprout.com/

Matt Uren from NFU Mutual said: “We’re really impressed with the Dorset Rural Crime Team looking for new ways of highlighting the risks of rural crime and I was delighted to join one of the podcasts.

“Thefts from farms are personal – it’s not just your workplace but also your home. The impact that such a crime can have shouldn’t be overlooked and I hope that the podcasts are able to play a small role in increasing awareness of this issue.”

To report non urgent crime or any suspicious incidents, please go online to www.dorset.police.uk/contact-us.

In an emergency or if a crime is in progress, always call 999.