News Article

Dorset remains the sixth safest area in the country latest crime statistics show

Dorset remains the sixth safest area in the country after experiencing a rise in crime markedly lower than other parts of England and Wales.

 

The Office for National Statistics released data on Thursday, 27 April 2023, which shows that overall crime rose by 3.7 per cent in Dorset during the 12 months to 31 December 2022. This increase is significantly less than the national average of 8.5 per cent and puts Dorset as the sixth safest area in the country.

 

A rise in crime was expected in part due to these statistics being compared to the same time in 2021, when crime fell as a direct result of the national and regional COVID-19 lockdown in January 2021. 

 

During this latest period, public order incidents fell by 6.9 per cent, compared to a national rise of 2.8 per cent. Racially or religiously aggravated offences saw a significant reduction of 21.7 per cent during this latest period compared to the national decrease of 2.4 per cent. It is also encouraging to see burglaries involving businesses and community premises have reduced by 6.3 per cent, compared to a national increase of 16.9 per cent. 

 

Like other areas of the country, the Force has seen an increase in some crimes. Violence against the person increased by 2.5 per cent in Dorset, lower than the national increase of 5.1 per cent, while violence with injury rose by two per cent, compared to the national rate of 8.3 per cent. Reports of sexual offences rose by 6.9 per cent, closely in line with the national rate. This increase can be attributed partly to a boost in confidence of victims choosing to report matters to the Force. In contrast, reports of rape offences reduced by 2.3 per cent, compared to the national rise of 3.7 per cent. 

 

Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya said: “It is encouraging to see that Dorset Police has remained in the top ten safest counties across England and Wales. I am pleased to see we have maintained our position in sixth place. We strive to be the safest county in the country and remain driven to relentlessly pursue those criminals who cause the most harm to our communities, keeping people safe and putting victims first.

 

“We are also committed to improving victim care and customer service for everyone who contacts Dorset Police by improving our processes. The recent introduction of our Single Online Home website has made it easier for people to report crime online. 

 

“Tackling overall violent crime, sexual offences and violence against women and girls remains a Force priority and we are committed to maintaining our work in this area to reduce offences, support victims and bring perpetrators to justice. It is critical that victims understand that they will be listened to and supported. We continue working with colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service to improve the services offered to those who report rape and other serious sexual offences.“

 

David Sidwick, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset said: “It’s good that Dorset has maintained its rating as the sixth safest county in England and Wales. I have made no secret that my aim is to make Dorset the safest county, however, I know how much work has gone into attaining and maintaining our current position, so I would like to thank everyone involved in that achievement.”

 

“I accept that there is still more to do when it comes to tackling violence against women and girls. I know that confidence in reporting such serious crimes is absolutely vital, so to see a rise in reporting figures is encouraging – but I am not complacent. I will continue to work with the Chief Constable and other partners to focus on what more can be done in this area of policing. Although there has been a decline over the last year in racially or religiously aggravated offences, it is well known that such crimes are often underreported, so I would like to take this opportunity to encourage those who are subjected to such crimes to report it to the police or through third-party partners.

 

“I have already started discussions as to how we can make the next improvement towards gaining that first position and making Dorset an even safer place to be.”


 

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