Dorset PEEL 2016

Dorset Police is good at preventing crime, tackling anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe. This is consistent with HMIC’s effectiveness inspection in 2015.

The force has overall objectives to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, protect people from harm, and provide appropriate levels of neighbourhood policing. It has effective methods of gathering and analysing information from different sources to ensure that it understands communities and their problems. It has a good neighbourhood policing structure with officers and PCSOs who work well with other partner organisations. Officer and PCSO awareness of the need to protect the most vulnerable people in society is widespread, and the desire to gain a greater understanding of communities who are less likely to take part in traditional forms of engagement, and to talk to members of those communities, is welcomed.

The review of the neighbourhood policing model has given the force a good foundation for working with people in the community, and for problem solving that benefits communities. Relations with other partner organisations are good and joint problem solving is effective. The force uses a variety of preventative tactics and interventions. It seeks to improve its performance by adopting best practice and new ideas in a considered way.

Dorset Police is good at investigating crime and in most aspects of reducing re-offending. It has consistent control room processes that gather information, assess risk and allocate resources effectively. However, there are resource pressures in response teams which cause delays in attending some crime scenes.

The force investigates crime to a good standard, from the initial response to the subsequent handover, allocation and follow-on investigation. Investigating officers are appropriately supported by specialist technical and investigative services.

Officers and staff provide a good service to victims of crime and satisfaction rates remain high. The force has plans to improve its method for recording compliance with the victims’ code.

Overall, the force pursues wanted suspects and manages outstanding forensic tasks effectively. High-risk cases are managed at force level and local supervisors oversee the remainder. The force needs to satisfy itself that it has a full understanding of the volume of wanted suspects.

The management of the most harmful offenders is good. Its management of high-risk offenders is robust, and there is a wide understanding across the force. It needs to review its integrated offender management (IOM) function to ensure that its structure and remit optimise public protection.

Dorset Police is good at protecting vulnerable people from harm and supporting victims. It defines vulnerability clearly and there is a good understanding among officers and staff. Assessments for risk and vulnerability are evident in all parts of the force and they guide the police response. There are appropriate structures and governance in place. The force understands the risks it is dealing with.

The processes in place to gather and disseminate information, both internally and with other partner organisations, are effective. The need to safeguard vulnerable victims and protect others at risk is well understood. Officers respond to victims and investigate crime well, but some officers have high workloads.

The force’s method of working with other partner organisations is understood and accepted. Vulnerable people receive better protection from the co-ordinated approach which is taken. It is anticipated that the introduction of the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) in 2017 will trigger further benefits, but it may also increase demand.

Victims of domestic abuse are provided with a good service at initial response and by specialist teams. The force takes a robust approach towards domestic abuse offenders to reduce the harm they cause.

Dorset Police is good at tackling serious and organised crime. Its strategic governance processes are effective and it is improving its understanding of the breadth and scale of serious and organised crime in the county by updating its local profiles. The force has made changes to its intelligence structure and this has brought the subject areas of crime and vulnerability closer together.

The mapping of organised crime groups is in line with national guidance and the force tackles sub-OCG crime groups effectively with the active participation of officers and staff from across the force. The management of serious and organised crime is good, and methods of working with other partner organisations are integrated into the approach. The force is increasing the adoption of the 4Ps approach to dealing with all serious and organised crime.

The force works with children and young people to prevent them from becoming involved in crime. The force uses the legal orders which are available to help tackle serious and organised crime, and monitors them appropriately. There is planned and effective communication with the public that keeps communities informed.

Dorset Police has effective specialist capabilities.

The force has good plans to respond to the threats set out in the Strategic Policing Requirement (PDF document) and is prepared to fulfil its national policing responsibilities. The force regularly tests these plans and uses the learning to develop its procedures.

The force is well prepared to respond to a firearms attack. The force has recently reviewed its assessment of threat, risk and harm and this now explicitly includes the threats posed by marauding firearms terrorists. In light of this threat, Dorset Police plans to increase its armed response vehicle firearms capacity and capability. The force is progressing with its implementation of these plans.