One of the most common pieces of feedback the public give me is that they want to see ‘more bobbies on the beat’. I know that for many, no matter where they live, visible policing – in particular foot patrols – offer reassurance and make people feel safer. This feedback from the public is why visibility and connectivity are top priorities in my Police and Crime Plan, a plan based on what the public want to see from policing in Dorset.

As this week is Neighbourhood Policing Week, it gives me an opportunity to highlight the valuable work our Neighbourhood Policing Teams do across Dorset, and to say thank you for the difference they are making to communities. In the past year, Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) have held 614 Community Contact Points (CCPs) across Dorset – these are visible, in-person opportunities to speak to local officers.

These regular face-to-face drop-in events with members of the local policing teams are a prime opportunity for residents to raise concerns, report crime and talk to a member of the NPT in person. One of the reasons the CCPs are so valuable is that they are held in locations convenient for the public – supermarkets, shopping centres, village halls and town centre locations, bringing the police directly to the people of Dorset.

If you have concerns about an issue in your area, and you want to discuss it in person, please look up when your next CCP is. I know how useful so many people have found these to be, so thoroughly recommend making use of them.

Another successful way Dorset Police has been aiming to increase visibility of officers over the past year – and going forward – is through Op Track, a hotspot policing initiative. In many of the areas where this was initially piloted last year, significant reductions in anti-social behaviour and violence were recorded, and I am really pleased that now, thanks to extra funding, Op Track is being rolled-out to more areas of Dorset.

It is through initiatives like this, and the dedication of NPTs, alongside partnership working and robust policing that levels of anti-social behaviour are at their lowest since 2008 in Dorset and I thank everyone involved for their hard work on making our county even safer.

Due to further funding as part of central government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, the people of Dorset will begin to see more officers out and about in their communities. This money will enable Dorset Police to recruit police staff investigators, detention officers and contact officers, releasing police officers into neighbourhood policing roles. It is vital we have the right people in the right places, and this shows once again that neighbourhood policing is at the heart of policing in Dorset.

Of course, as the second lowest funded Force in the country, but the eighth safest area I know how much of a difference our NPTs make to their communities on a daily basis, and I will continue to do all I can to keep fighting for fairer funding for Dorset Police to ensure this can continue.

Dorset Police officers, staff and volunteers are doing an incredible job in difficult circumstances – and they deserve funding which considers the rurality and seasonality of policing our county. Dorset remains one of the safest places in the country thanks to the hard work and dedication these officers, staff and volunteers put in and it is high time this unreasonable funding situation is addressed.

I give my thanks to all our officers, staff and volunteers, but this week particularly, I say a big thank you to all the NPT teams. You are the backbone of community policing, your work matters a great deal and makes a difference to the lives of the people you serve.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner

How to find out more about your Neighbourhood Policing Team

Go to the Dorset Police website - Home | Dorset Police- and enter your postcode into the ‘Find your area’ search box.

From here you will be directed to your Neighbourhood Policing Team page where you can find out the next CCP meeting and follow the team on social media as well for regular updates.

You can also contact them directly from this page and find out more about what’s happening in your area.