Fund an extra post in the Marine Unit

Building on his pledge during his first term to retain the Dorset Police Marine Unit and invest in new equipment, the PCC committed to funding an extra post within the unit to increase capacity and resilience.

The Marine Unit patrols Dorset’s 89 miles of coastline, from Lyme Regis to Christchurch, with a crew of specially trained officers.

As part of a number of commitments delivered during the first 100 days of office, the PCC agreed to fund an additional member of the unit, enabling coverage over two separate shifts and almost doubling the amount of time that the police rigid hulled inflatable boat can spend on the water.

In addition, and linking in with the PCC’s wider concerns and lobbying over port security, the PCC supported the 2017 launch of the South West Portwatch Scheme. This is a two-way regional messaging system that allows the police, partners and marine communities to share intelligence, report marine or ports related crime directly and manage threat, risk and harm more efficiently.

Finally, in recognition of the demands currently faced by the Marine Unit, and the age and suitability of existing equipment, a procurement process has been completed for the purchase of a new Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB).