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Who we are and what we do

This section referencing Transparency provides details on the organisational structure of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), our location and contact information, and constitutional and governance information.


Structure of the OPCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner is elected by the people of Dorset. 

Details of all officers and senior staff salaries within the OPCC can be found on the OPCC Structure page here.

Our internal board/committee structure is set out in the Single Governance Policy for the OPCC and Dorset Police. In summary, there are three tiers to our internal meeting structure:

  • Board – for strategic oversight and decision making. Some strategic boards are joint Force and OPCC meetings which are jointly chaired by a Chief Officer and the PCC; other Boards which focus solely on operational policing matters are Force led boards only.
  • Group – for tactical and operational decision making
  • Forum – for consultation

The OPCC also administers the Independent Audit Committee (IAC)reviewing matters relating to finance, audit and internal controls across Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Members of this Committee are independent of both Dorset Police and the OPCC and have been recruited from members of the local community.


Staffing Structure

Information relating to the OPCC staff team, including the office staff structure, can be found OPCC Structure page here


Contact Information

You can make contact with the OPCC in a number of different ways. Please click here to get in touch and find the most appropriate means of contact for you.


About the PCC and OPCC

The Commissioner is the directly elected Police and Crime Commissioner for the county of Dorset, which includes Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, and Dorset Council local authority areas.

The PCC has a number of key statutory functions and responsibilities that are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. In summary, these are:

  • Ensuring that the views, priorities and concerns of local people, including the most vulnerable members of the community, are fully considered and inform the delivery of policing in Dorset
  • Publishing a Police and Crime Plan that sets out local priorities for the period that he is in office
  • Agreeing the annual policing budget, which includes setting the policing precept element of the council tax in Dorset Police
  • Holding the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of local policing services in line with the Police and Crime Plan objectives
  • Commissioning services locally that will contribute towards the Police and Crime Plan priorities and community safety in Dorset.
  • Publishing an Annual Report outlining his achievements, how he has carried out his functions, and the progress made in meeting the Police and Crime Plan objectives
  • Working closely with local partnerships and agencies to prevent and tackle wider community safety and criminal justice issues
  • Ensuring that Dorset Police contribute to the national effort in tackling wider threats such as terrorism and serious organised crime.

Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme

Every Police and Crime Commissioner has a statutory duty to administer an Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme in their area to check on the welfare of individuals detained in police custody. To find out more about our ICV scheme here.


Partnership Arrangements

The PCC, OPCC and Dorset Police cannot deliver the Police and Crime Plan objectives on their own. Effective working relationships with a number of partners locally, regionally and nationally are essential to keeping Dorset safe.

Find out more about these arrangements by visiting the Working in Partnership section of our website.

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