In this issue of AgriWorld, we have featured Rural SafeGuard as our Rural Crime Reduction Company of the Month.
Rural SafeGuard is the UK’s first, commercially available, national programme designed to reduce rural crime before it happens. Backed by knowledgeable, trusted, and experienced security consultants, this nationwide initiative aims to assist farmers and landowners in minimising their crime risk and create a safer rural environment for all.
Founded by five Chartered Security Professionals working at senior levels across the UK and international security sectors, Rural SafeGuard is a programme within the long-established risk management company, Optimal Risk Group that operates nationally across the UK through a virtual, co-operative model made up of suitably qualified and experienced security consultants who can apply their expertise within the agricultural sector.
Initially the idea for Rural SafeGuard was developed by Frank Cannon. Drawing on his upbringing in a farming family, his military background, and his later career in commercial security, the aim was to bring proven security knowledge back to the rural sector in a way that is affordable, practical, and relevant for farmers.
Rural SafeGuard’s core methodology is to help vulnerable and isolated members of the rural community deter, detect, and delay crime so they can activate a pre-prepared response that keeps people safe and property secure.
Uniquely the programme adapts expertise from commercial security, policing and military backgrounds to resonate with farmers and rural businesses and promotes affordable, layered security measures that strengthen resilience without unduly disrupting day-to-day farm activity.
Its broad range of services are designed to help farms become safer and more resilient, without turning them into fortresses. The company not only offers farm security reviews and knowledge-sharing resources, but also trusted partner signposting which connects clients with affordable equipment, technology, and service providers. Additionally Rural SafeGuard provides post-incident support, reviewing incidents and identifying root causes and exploited vulnerabilities.
Alongside its core information sharing services the team also produces a weekly podcast called Close the Farm Gate, which shares practical advice, good practice, and expert insight relevant to farmers, landowners, growers, and the wider rural community.
What sets Rural SafeGuard apart, is its ability to deliver a nationally co-ordinated service through locally available consultants. While its longer-term ambition is to place a suitably qualified and experienced consultant within an hour’s drive of every farm in the UK, the immediate impact of this system is fundamentally changing the landscape of rural security.
The programme’s leadership is also a major differentiator. It is led by chartered security professionals, a rare certification in the UK, and draws consultants from respected industry bodies such as The Security Institute and the Association of Security Consultants.
The founding team combines academic and vocational qualifications with practical field experience, creating a blend of theory and practice that allows Rural SafeGuard to translate high-level security thinking into realistic, proportionate action for farms and rural enterprises.
Rural SafeGuard’s unique approach is paying off for the company. Its four-hour crime reduction awareness and knowledge-sharing workshop is ready to go and the company is now focusing on broader engagement and delivery after a 20-month developmental phase.
Looking forward, Rural SafeGuard is actively seeking sponsorship and partners to support its growth. The programme also plans to continue sharing knowledge, gathering feedback, and expanding its library of toolbox talks, guides, and best-practice resources. Its long-term goal is to become a trusted voice in affordable, proportionate rural crime reduction.
Rural SafeGuard’s mission to help farmers take a proactive approach to crime reduction, rather than reacting only after an incident occurs, is changing the face of rural crime reduction.
By taking a multi-level approach, the company actively promotes deterrence and is helping to create a safer rural environment for all.
For more on Rural SafeGuard, please see below:
T +44 (0)2071 188870
info@ruralsafeguard.com
https://ruralsafeguard.com