NFU and badger cull company to be excluded from police control room

SOMERSET AGAINST THE BADGER CULL

17 August 2014

PRESS RELEASE​

NFU AND CULL COMPANY OPERATIVES WILL NOT BE IN THE SILVER COMMAND ROOM THIS YEAR

Superintendent Kevin Instance, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, and a Silver Commander responsible for on the ground policing if the badger cull goes ahead this year, has told representatives from Somerset Against the Badger Cull (SABC) and Somerset Badger Patrol (SBP) that “we will not have the NFU or cull companies in our control room this year”.

The announcement was made public yesterday afternoon at the Colchester March on Saturday 16 August 2014 to the relief of many of those who oppose the badger cull. Organisers from the two groups say “We had a very constructive meeting with Avon & Somerset Constabulary recently in order to discuss operational procedures surrounding the proposed badger cull this year. It’s the latest of several meetings we’ve had over the last few months and we will be meeting with the police again to discuss other matters prior to the onset of the cull.”

The police understand that last year there were major concerns about the NFU and operatives from the cull companies working in close proximity to members of the police in a small operational room during such a sensitive period. As a result, public confidence was lost since these companies have clearly defined vested interests in making the cull appear successful. We also believe they might have been able to collect private data on our independent monitors, patrollers and observers and this is deeply worrying. Although the police reassured us that this didn’t happen last year, we’re delighted that we don’t have to worry about it again this year. However we are very sad that the Government persists in driving the culls forward despite the Independent Expert Panel’s damning report that the culls last year were ineffective and inhumane. This year, every shred of scientific credibility has been lost from the badger cull and our members will be out day and night to monitor what goes on. “
-ENDS-

MEDIA CONTACTS
Andy Gilbert 0790 6879 514/01404841 484

Amanda Barrett 0754 7790 204

Sara Palmer 0783 7206183

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Posted on August 17th 2014 under Badgers and Bovine TB, News & Press, Scoop.it. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.