Northern Constabulary has a Force Wildlife Crime Co-ordinator, Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss (pictured right), who is supported by a network of Police officers within each Area Command who have been specially trained, in addition to their normal duties, to investigate incidents of wildlife crime.

Due to the size and geography of the Force area every Northern Constabulary officer at Area Command level is also responsible for investigating complaints in relation to wildlife crime.

The role of Wildlife Crime Officers incorporates:

• preventing or reducing wildlife crime by means of education
• working in partnership with other organisations
• the investigation of crimes against wildlife or the environment
• Wildlife Crime Officers give talks on different aspects of wildlife crime and assist in the training of different groups and organisations where the employees may encounter crimes against wildlife.

They regularly carry out joint enquiries with other government agencies such as Scottish Government Rural Payments Inspections Directorate and Scottish Natural Heritage, or with non-government organisations such as the SSPCA and the RSPB.

They also work closely with farming, landowning and gamekeeping organisations and with organisations which have a working or leisure involvement with wildlife or the environment.