Police urged to protect northern gamekeepers
The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation has joined forces with the Moorland Association to highlight the increasing harassment and abuse of gamekeepers in the north of England.
The organisations have written to the chief constables and all police and crime commissioners in Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire to highlight the problem. In particular, the organisations are concerned about monitoring groups that appear to have the tacit endorsement of the police in some areas and act as ‘moorland monitors’, and whom they said spy on gamekeepers and stir up opinion.
The letter said: “We are concerned that the anonymity and perceived endorsement by the police is emboldening these individuals to cross the line and commit crimes such as damaging traps and infrastructure and abusing gamekeepers on social media both collectively and specifically.”