THE farming community in North Wales can now keep up to date with personalised local policing news, following the launch of a new free messaging service – Farmwatch Community Alert.

The Rural Crime Team officially launched the scheme today, August 23rd, at Ruthin Farmer’s Market.

The alert system specifically for farmers is an additional aspect to the North Wales Community Alert scheme, launched earlier this year.

North Wales Police is the first force in Wales to launch the alert system which has been funded as part of the Home Office Safer Streets Fund.

Farmwatch Community Alert is quick and simple to sign up to and gives local farmers a voice in the force’s neighbourhood policing priorities.

The system includes a messaging service that allows users to tell police us what really matters to them.

It is also a platform to gain a real insight into police activity in specific areas and what the force is doing to tackle any issues.

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PC Dewi Evans of the Rural Crime Team said: “We’ve been at the farmer’s mart in Ruthin today, signing farmers up to our new scheme – Farmwatch.

“It is a free messaging service for farmers who live and work in North Wales to stay informed and up to date with news, alerts, appeals in their area.

“By signing up, each time there is a crime on a farm in North Wales, we can send a message to the farmer, so they’re alerted to what has happened.

“Farmers can also respond to our messages and maintain a two-way conversation so that we have an additional route to listen to what our communities have to say.

“People can also choose what information they want to receive, and how they receive it, whether by email, text or voice message - so they don't even need an internet connection.”

Dewi Owen of Cyber Crime Team was also in attendance at the event, working with the Rural Crime Team to share information to farmers about staying safe online and cyber security.

He said: “It’s vitally important these days that every individual and every business do as much as they can to educate themselves about staying secure online.”

To register to the Farmwatch Community Alert, you can register by visiting https://orlo.uk/Usqai