Our new Wildlife Crime Campaign Manager.

Introducing Jim Clark

Hello, Pryit and Buna to our wonderful supporters, World Animal Day ambassadors, patrons and all those visitors to the site who may have an interest and passion in animal welfare.

When Sarah, our CEO, asked me to pen an introduction, I was thrilled at the chance to introduce myself and give you all a little of my background in protecting wildlife and my ability to investigate wildlife crime.

However, before that, I would like to say just what a fantastic opportunity it is for me to be part of a leading animal welfare organisation that, despite our modest size, is very prominent in the UK and global animal welfare movement.

A little about me.

Straight from school, at age 16, I started my working life in the HM Armed Forces. I served 14 years in the army and spent much of my career in and around Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. It was here that my real interest in wildlife and our beautiful countryside developed. I often shared beautiful early mornings with the birds and hares, foraging and thriving on the plain. The sight of a hare running free is beautiful; little did I know that this scene would return to my life some years later.

Fast forward to 2003, I found myself in the Metropolitan Police Training school at Hendon, sitting in my interview with a head full of wildlife crime statistics and a limited knowledge of British wildlife crime. The MET Police were, at the time, running Operation Charm. OP Charm was implemented to uncover trade in products of endangered animal species; I used this as an example of ‘work-related research’. Again, little did I know where my career path was heading.

Predominantly working in a South London borough, I seldom came across wildlife crime; however, I was aware of the violence link between animals involved in domestic abuse. Clearly, there was a link between the cycle of abuse and repeat victims and I often found myself asking the relevant questions when investigating domestic violence allegations. This particularly important subject matter is one of Naturewatch Foundation’s excellent campaigns. Protect Animals. Protect People.

A relocation saw me join Cheshire Police and the opportunity could not be turned down. Five years ago, Cheshire Police committed to forming a Rural and Wildlife Crime team. The team would be aligned with the National Wildlife priorities set by the National Wildlife Crime Unit. Eager to progress in this very bespoke and unique policing portfolio, I applied and interviewed for a role within this team. With a brief period from interview to the team formation I managed to clear my outstanding workload and focus on self-learning as much as I could about fox digging, badger baiting, hare coursing, deer hunting, poaching and animal welfare legislation.

With the use of social media to promote our work, it was evident that people wanted to stand up to end animal cruelty, and reporting wildlife crime rose to levels that meant we were a busy team.

Working in partnership with charities and the police.

One thing that was obvious to me and the team is that working in partnership with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Naturewatch Foundation is extremely important; the police cannot protect our wildlife alone. We are blessed in the UK with some wonderful NGOs, and Naturewatch Foundation is the leading animal welfare charity that supports police in their investigations, training, and subsequent support to the policing of national priorities.

This partnership has personally helped me develop and launch Operation Recall; without Naturewatch Foundation’s help, this extremely important animal welfare issue would never have had the exposure it needs.

Naturewatch Foundation also provides the police and local authorities with excellent intelligence packages; these offer invaluable assistance to the police in obtaining wildlife crime-biased warrants. I have used investigation packages many times with successful results in fox digging and badger baiting cases. These results would not have been possible without the support of Naturewatch Foundation and this work would be impossible without you, our amazing supporters. I have a real passion for investigating wildlife crime and strive to make sure animal welfare legislation is suitable for purpose.

The war in Ukraine.

18 months ago, I was fortunate to take part in a humanitarian convoy to Ukraine with a local organisation where I live. A police colleague and I helped deliver vehicles and essential aid into Ukraine. This trip was extremely humbling and, at times, upsetting. On my flight home from Poland, I decided I would do something of my own to help those less fortunate than us.

I started a project called Cops for Ukraine (C4U). I persuaded my colleagues that we must do something to help Ukrainian police officers, their families, and communities with almost three tonnes of needed aid. Last year, we undertook our first official C4U trip, delivering aid to the east of the country and managed to donate a 17-seater minibus to a children’s centre in Dnipro.

With the amazing work Naturewatch is doing in Eastern Europe, especially in war-torn Ukraine, I am confident the Cops for Ukraine project can now help my new Ukrainian colleague who lives and breathes the unsettling life there in the work she is doing for the animals in Ukraine.