A roving rural task force has been launched to tackle crime in the countryside.
Lincolnshire Police are actively encouraging villagers to contact the new unit, which has been launched in response to an increasing fear of crime in rural areas.
West Division Rural Task Force – made up of a sergeant and five police constables – is now based at Bracebridge Heath.
It will provide additional support to existing patrols and police operations from Kealby in the north of the division to Wellingore in the south, Kettlethorpe to the west and Brookenby in the east.
The move follows closely on the heels of Chief Constable Richard Childs' appointment to a Government "think-tank" because of his strongly-held views on rural policing.
Sergeant Mark Garthwaite is leading the team on the ground.
He is supervising a unit which has a mobile police station and five PCs – Mandy Aspinall, Mark Facer, Paul Moss, John Murphy and Dave Walker.
Chief Inspector Dave Goodwin is operational head of the task force.
He said: "We are aware that people living in rural areas of Lincolnshire still feel neglected and isolated at times.
"They have a perception that they are vulnerable to travelling criminals.
"And they sometimes feel that the police are more concerned with urban areas than the countryside.
"The task force will be visiting rural areas, talking to people and dealing with any problems that they are experiencing.
"We want them to tell us their problems and fears, so we can act upon them."
Lincolnshire Police spokesman Inspector Dick Holmes revealed that the unit will be intelligence-led.
He said: "Priority will be given to action depending upon information received from many sources, including other officers.
"It might be that the unit may be required to spend just a couple of hours in one location – or a couple of weeks.
"Overall, residents of the rural areas in West Division will see more police officers in their areas – and that is already a priority."
Sgt Garthwaite said the high-visibility policing initiative was aimed at reducing crime and disorder.
He said: "There is currently an increasing fear of crime in all rural areas of Britain, including within West Division which includes the rural areas around Lincoln, Gainsborough and Market Rasen.
"We will be walking through the villages, talking to the community, and reassuring people. But we will also be available to help other rural officers with projects and operations which require a large number of police, including divisional police work."
In addition, the unit will be able to call on the services of all the force's other departments – including road traffic and the Nettleham-based dog unit.
For full details of the rural task force activities and calls for visits by the unit, contact (01522) 882222.