Good Safe Summer – Community Contact Points
As Dorset continues to welcome thousands of visitors over the summer holidays, it is more important than ever that people can see policing in action and have opportunities to speak directly with the officers who serve their communities. One of the simplest, but most effective, ways Dorset Police is delivering this is through its Community Contact Points (CCPs) and the Mobile Police Station. These regular pop-up events give residents, businesses and visitors the opportunity to meet their local neighbourhood policing teams, raise concerns, seek crime prevention advice and discuss the issues that matter most to them.
When I speak to residents across Dorset, one message comes through time and again: people want policing that is visible, accessible and connected to the communities it serves. Community Contact Points and the Mobile Police Station are a great example of exactly that. They provide reassurance, strengthen relationships and help officers better understand local concerns, ensuring that policing remains connected to the people it protects.
They are also playing an important role in Dorset Police’s Good Safe Summer campaign, which is increasing high-visibility policing across our busiest towns, beaches and visitor hotspots throughout the school holidays. Alongside additional patrols and proactive policing, Community Contact Points provide another opportunity for the public to engage with officers, seek advice and receive support while enjoying everything Dorset has to offer this summer.
To better understand how these contact points work in practice, a member of my team at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner attended several across the county, speaking with officers and residents to see the difference these pop-up events are making.
In Dorchester, officers were running a Mobile Police Station in the Cornhill Market area of the high street. While Community Contact Points provide an opportunity for people to speak to their local officers, Mobile Police Stations offer additional services that would normally require a visit to a police station enquiry office. For example, at a Mobile Police Station, members of the public can present their driving licence, report a crime and carry out a number of other enquiries.
Officers at the Dorchester Mobile Police Station reported that it was well used by both residents and visitors to the county town. People regularly stopped by for advice or to raise concerns. These included questions about issues such as excessive noise, which in some cases should be reported to a housing association or local authority rather than the police. Providing the right advice at the right point can help ensure police resources and phone lines remain available for matters where officers are needed.
During the visit, officers dealt with enquiries relating to suspected drug dealing, anti-social driving and excessive noise from neighbours.
A particularly positive part of the engagement was the opportunity to speak with families with young children who were unsure of officers and nervous about approaching them. Officers took the time to be friendly and approachable, reassuring the children and helping parents explain that they are there to help if they ever find themselves lost or in need of assistance.
In Weymouth, Community Support Officers were hosting a Community Contact Point on Thomas Street, outside NatWest. As soon as the officers were set up, CSAS officers and BID rangers working in the town centre came over to say hello, provide an update on a recent incident and share information about what was happening in the town, including which known individuals were in the area. This is a great example of how Community Contact Points are about more than connecting Dorset Police with the public. They also provide an opportunity for officers to strengthen relationships with the partner organisations working alongside them in our communities and share valuable local intelligence.
Officers also assisted a restaurant owner who had recently been the victim of a dine and dash, agreeing to follow up with a visit to the premises in the coming weeks. As in Dorchester, officers in Weymouth reported that the Community Contact Point was well used, with more people seeking advice and information than reporting crimes. That is an important part of neighbourhood policing: being there, being approachable and helping people understand where they can turn when they need support.
Earlier in the summer, reports about issues around The Triangle in Bournemouth understandably caused concern for local businesses and residents. Dorset Police responded by increasing its presence in the area, including hosting dedicated Community Contact Points at The Triangle to listen to concerns, provide reassurance and demonstrate that officers are there to support the community. This sits alongside enhanced patrols and wider neighbourhood policing activity taking place across Bournemouth town centre this summer. I look forward to sharing more with you about this new Community Contact Point in the near future.
I hope these examples demonstrate that neighbourhood policing is about far more than simply responding to incidents. It is about building trust, preventing crime, listening to concerns and making sure communities know where to turn when they need help. By making officers more visible and approachable, Community Contact Points are helping to strengthen those vital connections between Dorset Police and the public.
If you see a Community Contact Point taking place in your area over the coming weeks, I would encourage you to stop by and have a conversation with your local officers. Your views matter, and by working together we can continue making Dorset one of the safest places in the country to live, work and visit.
That connection between policing and the communities it serves is something I am deeply concerned could be lost if the Government’s proposed police reform goes ahead.
The Government has announced plans to review police force structures and consider wider changes to the way policing is organised across England and Wales. While many of the details remain unknown and no decisions have been made about Dorset’s future, I am concerned that larger forces and more centralised control could mean the loss of officers who know their communities, understand their concerns and have built trusted relationships with local people.
I believe the people of Dorset must have the opportunity to have their say on changes that could have a significant impact on the way policing is delivered here.
The independent review is not currently seeking direct feedback from the public, so I want to make sure Dorset residents have a platform to make their voices heard. That is why I have launched a public consultation asking people across Dorset to share their views on the proposed changes.
I would encourage everyone to take part in the survey and tell us what matters to them. Whatever reforms emerge nationally, they must take account of the priorities and expectations of the communities they are there to serve.
The public survey is now open and can be completed online here.
David Sidwick
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner