No safer place to live in England - Dorset Police

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Eastern Less likely to be a victim A big thank you! As highlighted on the front page, Eastern Division has a lower number of crimes per 1,000 residents than anywhere else in England but to get a better idea of how this area looks against other, similar areas, take a look at the table on the right. In order to compare how low crime is in Eastern Division, the Home Office groups this area with 14 other areas in England that share similar characteristics, including the fact that crime is relatively low compared to different areas of the country. These ‘most similar’ policing divisions include Salisbury in Wiltshire, the New Forest in Hampshire, Cotswold and Stroud in Gloucestershire and North Somerset. To give you an idea of how unlikely you are to be a victim of crime, the table shows the numbers of crimes per thousand residents in Eastern Division compared to some of its most similar forces. It also shows where Eastern Division comes in the ‘league table of low crime’ compared with those 14 other divisions (first being lowest crime and fifteenth being the highest in the table). Get involved and make your community safer Look out for this logo for your opportunity to influence community safety priorities in your area. By April 2008 every area across Eastern Division of Dorset Police will have a dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Team - made up of police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs), local authority workers and members of other partner organisations. These teams build on the role of the Community Beat Officers (CBOs) - police constables who have played an important role in policing Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset and Purbeck for a number of Eastern Division of Dorset Police is not only made up of warranted police officers, there are also many police staff, working both in the community and behind the scenes to make Dorset safer. Below are just three examples of different positions within Dorset Police: Police Community Support Officer Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are not only becoming a well known and reassuring face of Dorset Police throughout Eastern Division’s communities, they are also developing and working on initiatives which are helping to reduce and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. The main focus for a PCSO is, as a vital member of a Safer Neighbourhood Team, building relations with the public and local partnerships. Ferndown PCSO Sara Freestone says: “No two days are the same, which makes a PCSO’s role very interesting. We want people in the community to get to know who we are and what we can do to help them. By doing this we can work with them to make their neighbourhood a better place to live in.” Next time you see a PCSO on patrol in your years. The CBOs will now be joined by PCSOs and partners to work with you, members of our communities, to address the issues that matter to you the most. Your Safer Neighbourhood Team will be accessible to you. They will make sure that you, as residents of a neighbourhood, have every opportunity to let them know what concerns you. Through a process called Partners and Communities Together (PACT) your Safer Neighbourhood Team will work in partnership to give you a voice, allow you to influence their priorities and encourage you to get involved in finding sustainable solutions to community issues. They will do this through community meetings, surgeries, street corner meetings, door knocks, and other activities. Look out for the PACT logo (pictured) for your chance to influence community safety issues in your neighbourhood. area why not stop them for a chat? Station Desk Officer ”The role of a Station Desk Officer (SDO) is varied, interesting, challenging, demanding and also rewarding,” says Ken McEwen who has As Safer Dorset went to print, Eastern Division already had Safer Neighbourhood Teams set up in Blandford, Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Christchurch. Teams will continue to roll out throughout 2007 and the beginning of 2008 when, by April, 30 Safer Neighbourhood Teams will be working with you for an Eastern Division that is safe and feels safe. To find out about Safer Neighbourhoods in your town or village, give your local police station a call. See the following pages for details: Christchurch page 5; East Dorset (Wimborne, Verwood and Ferndown) page 6; North Dorset (Blandford, Shaftesbury and Gillingham) page 11; Purbeck (Wareham and Swanage) page 12. Back and front of house - police staff help to make Dorset safer Working together behind the scenes. Picture here are Station Desk Officer Ken McEwen, Police Community Support Officer Sara Freestone and Crime Analyst Rob Clementi. done the job for 13 years. An SDO is the first point of contact for members of the public visiting or telephoning a police station. Ken said: ”There is no knowing who you may be dealing with from one minute Special Constables are a vital part of the Eastern Division team. Pictured: Special Constables Sam Large and Natalie Shaw. On behalf of the all the communities within Eastern Division, Dorset Police would like to say a big ’thank you’ to all the volunteers who contribute to making the county safer. Special Constables and Dorset police volunteers are invaluable support to the police officers and staff working in the community. They give freely of their time to patrol the streets (in the case of Specials), to monitor CCTV and provide administrative support to Safer Neighbourhood Teams (in the case of volunteers). One example of the dedication of these generous members of the community is the Eastern Division Volunteer of the Year 2006, Geoff Hughes, who staffs the Ferndown Police Community Office three times a week. And Special Constables in Swanage - Geoff Meehan, April Barker and Karl Harrison - won a South West regional award at the end of last year for their initiatives to target anti-social behaviour at Studland. Superintendent Lynn Hart, Eastern Divisional Commander, said: “Our aim is to make Eastern Division safer and feel safer and the help of Special Constables and volunteers plays a big part in that, for which we are very grateful. In addition, the many people within our communities who give up their time to organise and contribute to Neighbourhood and Homewatch schemes are also an invaluable part of the team. Thank you.” to the next. It could be a victim of crime or road traffic collision, reports of neighbourhood and domestic disputes, abandoned vehicles or anti-social behaviour, to someone just wanting directions, advice or reassurance.” Information Management Unit Analyst Crime analysis - often called ‘Intelligence analysis’ or ‘Criminal Intelligence analysis’ - is a law enforcement profession dedicated to identification and analysis of patterns, trends and problems in crime and disorder, with a view to recommending appropriate solutions. Analysts support the investigation, prevention and reduction of crime by studying crime reports, intelligence logs and incidents, evaluating intelligence, preparing statistics, data queries, or maps on demands and analysing criminal behaviour. Rob Clementi, Eastern Division Crime Analyst, said: “We find links between crimes and then help police officers to identify likely offenders. Our big involvement currently is supporting Safer Neighbourhoods Teams in increasing community intelligence and information.” 2
Making Dorset Safer and Making Dorset Feel Safer Chief Constable Martin Baker, QPM and Chairman of The Police Authority Michael Taylor, CBE Foreword from the Chief Constable and the Chairman of Dorset Police Authority Dorset Police and Dorset Police Authority are united in their aim to achieve two clear strategic objectives - To Make Dorset Safer and To Make Dorset Feel Safer. We remain determined in our efforts to achieve this and we are succeeding. Figures for the operational year 2006/2007 reveal significant reductions in vehicle crime, house burglary, criminal damage and personal robbery, with burglary and vehicle crime at its lowest for ten years. Furthermore, our sanctioned detection rate is one of the highest in England and Wales, which means that criminals are more likely to get caught here than almost anywhere else in the country! Further details about the Force’s performance in 2006/07 are given in the Annual Report, which appears on the next page. Residents, businesses, and visitors to Dorset can take reassurance from the fact that Dorset is one of the lowest crime areas in the Country. These results are to the great credit, not only of all our operational officers and staff, but also to all of those who support them in both paid and volunteer roles and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this outstanding achievement. The Annual Policing Plan for 2007/08 has been framed within a Three Year Strategy that provides direction to the Force by setting out clearly our operational priorities and key enablers that directly support those priorities. The Operational Priorities and Key Enablers for 2007/08 appear on page 7 of this edition of ‘Safer Dorset’, along with the challenging targets that have been set to measure the Force’s success. In terms of funding, this year the Government Grant to Dorset Police Authority has risen by only 3.6%. Dorset Police receives the second lowest government grant per head of population of all police forces. If we received the average settlement of county forces nationally, we would receive an additional £11 million per year from central government. Against that background, although our budget for 2007/08 allows no scope for additional police officers, it will maintain our operational strength and support the completion of the roll-out of Safer Neighbourhood Teams across the county, including the deployment of additional Police Community Support Officers. To ensure that we improve the capacity and capability of Dorset Police and continue to deliver a high level of service to the communities of Dorset, a comprehensive review of the Force is underway, which will include consultation with stakeholders, partners, members of the public and staff. The specific aims of the review include: ●●● Completing the roll-out of Safer Neighbourhood Teams across the Dorset Police area ●●● Enhancing ‘protective services’ to guard against terrorism and tackle cross-border organised crime ●●● Making the most efficient use of finite resources ●●● Seeking opportunities to further collaborate and share services with other police forces and organisations ●●● Continuing to develop effective partnerships ●●● Meeting the needs and expectations of the public ●●● Providing the necessary support and resources for police officers and staff The review will help to ensure that we continue to improve on the current level of performance and that Dorset remains one of the safest places to live, learn, work and visit in the Country. The plan that will result from this work will be called Dorset 2010, because by March 2010 we must have completed any work emanating from the project. This deadline is important - in 2011 and 2012 we will be mounting major policing operations in relation to the 2012 Olympic Games and we must be fully prepared and able to police this major event alongside all our other responsibilities. Beyond local policing, we are working to enhance our protective services to guard against terrorism and tackle organised crime. We are also seeking new opportunities to collaborate and share services with neighbouring forces to improve still further our efficiency and effectiveness. Dorset is becoming Safer and feeling Safer, and we thank the communities of Dorset for the support that they continue to give to Dorset Police. Embracing Diversity The Police Authority values diversity and is committed to promoting understanding and confidence within the community, ensuring that every person who receives services or is affected by the Authority’s activities is treated with respect, free from harassment, bullying, victimisation or discrimination. We are committed to working to increase trust and confidence in policing amongst our communities and recognise that a greater focus on the needs of communities and individuals has the capacity to deliver real benefits in terms of more informed decision-making and better targeted services and policies. We promote transparency and accountability for the way in which both the Authority and the Force deliver their functions, policies and services and have introduced three equality schemes that demonstrate our commitment to equality in relation to Race, Disability and Gender. The Police Authority has a key role in ensuring that the Force deliver their own specific duties and in this regard, the Police Authority and Force share a commitment to making the workforce representative of the communities we serve. The Police Authority supports the use of police ‘Stop and search’ powers to help the police make our communities safer by combating street crime and anti-social behaviour and preventing more serious crime. However, we expect these powers to be used fairly and consistently. You should expect the police to treat you fairly and with respect and if you feel you were treated differently because of your race, age, sexuality, gender, disability, religion or faith further details of how to complain can be found on our website www.dpa.police.uk Custody Visiting Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) are local volunteers drawn from all walks of life whose main role is to provide an independent check on the welfare of people who are detained at police stations. They do this by making random visits in pairs to police stations throughout the County and reporting their findings. There are currently 25 Independent Custody Visitors who make regular visits to all of the Dorset Police custody centres and also meet quarterly to discuss their findings on a Panel chaired by Mrs Kathie Emery, a former Police Authority member. Commenting on the custody visiting scheme Mrs Emery explained: “Custody Visitors are appointed by the Police Authority and are totally independent of the police force. They carry out an important and highly valued role that helps to strengthen police accountability. “The job of a custody visitor is very important. Detainees are able to raise concerns about their detention with the custody visitor who can then raise the issue with officers to solve the problem” she added. We currently have a sufficient number of volunteers and will not be recruiting additional visitors generally this year. However, to help ensure that our panel of visitors is representative of the whole community, we would be pleased to hear from Mrs Kathie Emery ICV Panel Chairman members of our minority ethnic communities who are interested in joining the Panel. More general information about custody visiting is available on the Independent Custody Visiting Association website at www.icva.org.uk Ensuring an Efficient and Effective Police Service Dorset Police Authority has a legal duty to ensure that your local police force is efficient and effective - the Chief Constable is responsible for the control and direction of Dorset Police. Members' Allowances The Police Authority operates a Members’ Allowance Scheme that is reviewed annually. The current Scheme together with details of the amounts payable is available on our website: www.dpa.police.uk Getting More Information We realise that not everyone has access to our website - so if you’d like us to send you any information we have referred to, or if you’d like any more general information about the work of the Police Authority, please write to: Martin Goscomb, Chief Executive to the Dorset Police Authority, Force Headquarters, Winfrith, Dorchester DT2 8DZ. 3
Page 1: Integrity Professionalism Fairness
Page 5 and 6: Christchurch Winning the anti-socia
Page 7 and 8: Your Force in Your Community Commit
Page 9 and 10: Bringing Information to the Communi
Page 11 and 12: North Dorset Everybody needs good n
Page 13 and 14: CID/CJD Hitting the Criminals Where
Page 15 and 16: Eastern Crime isn’t HALF what it

No safer place to live in England - Dorset Police

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