You said, We did: Anti-Social Behaviour

Since becoming PCC, I have asked you each year to share your views on crime, safety, and policing through my Annual Survey. This year, I want to highlight the real impact your responses have on policing in Dorset. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) was identified as one of the top five concerns of Dorset residents in the 2024 survey. In this newsletter, I would like to share what has been done over the past year to help tackle ASB and reduce those concerns.

After receiving further funding from the Home Office’s Hotspot Action Fund, the force launched Operation Track in April to target ASB through high-visibility foot patrols. The funding allowed patrols to expand beyond Weymouth and Bournemouth to also cover Dorchester, Blandford, Swanage, and Wimborne—areas identified as hotspots through data analysis. Operation Track has played a significant role in reducing ASB in many of these areas by ensuring incidents are dealt with promptly by neighbourhood policing teams working closely with partner agencies such as local authorities.

I firmly believe that enforcement alone is not enough to address crime effectively. To truly make a difference, we must also focus on prevention and education—tackling the underlying causes as well as the visible effects. This includes expanding diversion initiatives across Dorset and investing in programmes that positively engage young people and steer them away from entering the Criminal Justice System. That’s why, when I came into office, I launched the Operation Relentless Community Fund—an initiative designed to cut down anti-social behaviour and give local communities the tools and support they need to make lasting change.

Over the past four years, the fund has awarded nearly £208,000 to 52 projects aimed at tackling ASB from the ground up. These include community outreach programmes, job skills training, and sports initiatives—all designed to create positive opportunities and long-term change. Earlier this year, I launched round five of the fund, which awarded over £49,000 to 12 projects across Dorset. I look forward to visiting these projects in the coming months to witness first-hand the difference they make, not only to those directly involved but also to the wider communities they serve.

These examples are only a snapshot of the wide-ranging work underway to address ASB in Dorset. Through strong partnerships, targeted patrols, and effective diversion initiatives, real action is being taken to tackle the issue in our communities. Over the past year (April 2024 – March 2025), reports of ASB to Dorset Police have fallen by 11% compared with 2023/24 (ONS March 2025). This means that reports of ASB to Dorset Police are now lower than at any time in the last 16 years.

I hope this newsletter has given you an insight into some of the work my office and Dorset Police are doing to address the issues that matter most to Dorset residents, and shown how your views can genuinely influence the way we tackle crime in Dorset.

Take the survey today and make sure your views are heard. Take the survey.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner