Laura is fighting crimes against wildlife
In this article I thought I would focus on the very specific area of wildlife crime and the specialist officer based within Stirling Area Command who assists in tackling it.
PC Laura Robertson is the Forth Valley wildlife officer and based at Dunblane Police Station.
The principals for investigating wildlife crime are the same as any other.
However wildlife crime is often carried out in rural locations with no CCTV or witnesses.
Such crimes includes shooting, poisoning or trapping of a bird of prey or shooting or trapping of a badger.
At this time of year in the Stirling area poaching is regularly reported and investigated.
Poaching is theft, whether this is for fish, deer or hare.
Towns have their own issues such as birds nesting on the side of a house or bats living in the attic space. In both these circumstances, the common bird and bats are protected and it is an offence to remove a bird’s nest during breeding season.
It is also an offence to remove bats or block up the entrance/exit of a bat roost.
Recently , PC Robertson was contacted by a member of the public about a tree having been cut down containing a red squirrel dray in Aberfoyle.
With the assistance of community officers and the SSPCA the accused was traced, interviewed and a report was sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
PC Robertson attends high schools educating the pupils on various types of wildlife crime and requests the help of pupils in reporting anything suspicious to their parents and thereafter to police. She also goes to agricultural shows speaking to the rural community about the types of issues and how she can assist.
The fishing season for salmon and sea trout ended on October 31 in the Stirling area and PC Robertson closely liaises with bailiffs to manage the waters until the fishing season re-opens.
On November 8, which was Action Day Against Rural Crime, PC Robertson attended United Auctions, Stirling, with her taxidermy props to discuss with farmers the rural crimes they have experienced and explain about Rural Watch Scotland (part of the neighbourhood watch scheme). Rural communities can register to receive alerts for any rural crime in their area at www. ruralwatchscotland.co.uk and they will be provided with real time, trusted, localised and targeted information.