Force announces new Mobile Police Stations as front counter services change
Dorset Police has announced that new Mobile Police Stations will be rolled out this autumn so that officers are more visible and accessible.
The new Mobile Police Stations, due in September, will be brought in alongside an improved Community Contact Point provision, with residents making it clear that they prefer speaking with officers and staff in their neighbourhoods, rather than travelling to stations.
The Force is therefore changing its front counter provision in four out of seven locations, in line with public use, while keeping all local stations open for operational policing.
It follows a detailed review of visits to front counters and consultation with staff, which recognised that the public was choosing to contact the police more online and at Community Contact Points in neighbourhoods.
Three stations at Blandford, Bournemouth and Weymouth will continue to offer front counter provision to members of the public. Dorset Police will retain police stations for operational use by officers, staff and volunteers at Bridport, Gillingham, Poole and Sherborne, however the front counters will close in the autumn.
The decision is in response to fewer people visiting front counters at some stations as the public prefer to go online, call 101, or meet officers at Community Contact Points, which occur in busy places such as shopping centres and allow people to report matters in person to the neighbourhood policing team.
In addition, the Force has begun preparing Mobile Police Stations and anticipates these will be out visiting communities in September.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Lyne said: “Keeping Dorset safe for everyone means focusing on the changing way the public want to contact us while also making sure we have the right resources in the right places. People are contacting the police more and more online, but they also want to see officers and staff in their neighbourhoods.
“We recognise the need to ensure there is a geographical split of our front counter provision and we have, therefore, prioritised keeping front counter services open at Blandford, Bournemouth and Weymouth for those occasions when tasks must be completed at a station and our custody suites. We are introducing new Mobile Police Stations to be in the heart of neighbourhoods, and we are maintaining our successful Community Contact Points too. This means we can keep offering a comprehensive service for everyone – online and in person – across Dorset, as well as keeping all our local stations open for operational work by our frontline officers, staff and volunteers.
“With ongoing financial pressures due to rising costs and national funding, the review of our counter service provision is among a large-scale programme of work taking place to ensure we can operate an efficient and sustainable policing service to help keep our communities safe.”
David Sidwick, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner said: “The change to front counter services is happening due to changes in the way people interact with the police, especially over the last few years. There has been a steep reduction in front counter use as we see more people move towards online reporting, using 101 and utilising Community Contact Points. These face-to-face meetings take place in community locations, such as supermarkets, shopping centres and village halls, allowing people to report matters to their local policing team in person.
“It is no secret the financial pressures facing Dorset Police as the second lowest funded Force in the country and I want to be clear that I will continue to work with the Force to ensure we balance delivering on the Police and Crime Plan priorities to Make Every Penny Count and Make Policing More Visible and Connected. I believe this is a clear example of how improvements can be made in the face of budgetary constraints.
“I want to reassure the people of Dorset that I have scrutinised this process very carefully and I am convinced on the strength of the evidence that these changes need to be made if we are to deliver effective and efficient policing across the county.
“I want the police to be ‘more visible’ in our communities and that’s what the people of Dorset tell me they want too. I have been told by members of the public that the existing front counter services are not in areas that they frequent, and that they would like to engage in more accessible locations like high streets and shopping centres.
“I have listened to that feedback, and you will now see Dorset Police officers in your community and be able to access services in the areas that you already visit, without making a special trip to a police station. For me, putting officers and staff into the right places our residents visit makes complete sense, and I very much look forward to seeing the new Mobile Police Stations out and about across the county from the autumn.
“Put simply, the evidence shows the vast majority of people don’t use the front counter service anymore and resourcing a service which is not being used, does not make sense in the face of the budgetary challenges Dorset Police are dealing with as a result of the unfair funding situation. Moving resources to make them more available, better engaged with and giving the people what they want and in the right place does make sense given the circumstances.”
Need to contact Dorset Police? You can do this via the following methods: Call 999 if there is a danger to life or crime in progress. To provide information in a non-emergency situation call 101 or visit the Dorset Police website: https://www.dorset.police.uk/