David Sidwick is the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset.
In 2018 somebody said to me, “You care about crime, why not stand as a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)?”. Three years were then spent full-time doing two key things – understanding what the job is really about and, as importantly, asking the people of Dorset what they wanted through surveys and meetings. In May 2021, I became PCC for Dorset and since then it has been all about delivery. The core function of a PCC is to hold their force accountable to residents to deliver the Police and Crime Plan.
Key is the golden thread that runs from the people, through to the manifesto commitments which are now the six priorities of the police and crime plan, through to the operational vision of Dorset Police. The effect of this close democratic alignment to the people means that Dorset Police are now focused on crimefighting with three priorities – to be tough on crime, put victims first, and to keep people safe.
Looking at the first four priorities of the Dorset Police and Crime Plan and some highlights:
Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)
This was top of the list. When I came into office, ASB was the top concern of many Dorset residents and had not been prioritised enough. Since then, the force has implemented Operation Relentless to tackle ASB, with hot spot patrols across the county. I am pleased to be able to report that incidents of ASB have reduced in some areas by as much as 40 per cent. As with any crime, enforcement alone is not enough. That’s why I launched the Operation Relentless community fund to support local projects and initiatives that reduce ASB. Through the fund, I have now supported 31 projects across Dorset with over £117,000 of funding. Most importantly the projects are having an impact. One project, for example, reported seeing an 80 per cent decrease in ASB incidents in the area since the installation of the funded CCTV.
Visibility, Connectivity and Engagement
This is another part of policing that has been improved. Dorset residents have continuously told me that they’d like to see their local police stations re-open. So, this summer that is exactly what has happened as three stations across Dorset have re-opened their doors as part of a pilot scheme. The implementation of the front desk pilot scheme is part of the work happening under the Make Policing More Visible and Connected priority and we are looking to expand to include the opening of more front desks across Dorset.
However, I am aware that the public not only wants to see police stations re-opened but also wants to see boots on the ground. That’s why I am pleased to be able to say that Dorset Police not only met but exceeded its target for the Government’s National Police Uplift Programme and there are now 174 new police officers in Dorset. This is the largest intake of trainee officers in Dorset since the creation of Police and Crime Commissioners back in 2012. Each recruit is integral to the Police and Crime Plan’s priority of Dorset Police being more visible, more connected, and more engaged with the people and communities they serve.
Fighting Violence and High Harm
I have long been outspoken with my views on the illegal drugs that plague our society. In Dorset, we have two operations taking robust action to tackle the problem. Operation Scorpion which sees all the police forces across the Southwest region come together to track down and disrupt those involved in illegal drug supply lines and Operation Viper, Dorset’s own operation focuses on closing county lines and ridding our county of illegal drugs. Both operations have been hugely successful with the latest round of Operation Scorpion alone resulting in over £90,000 of drugs taken off Dorset streets.
Rural Crime
The Dorset Police Rural Crime Team has grown fourfold since 2021 with there now being capacity for 18 members. With this increase, the team have helped return over £1 million worth of stolen machinery to victims of crime over the last year. The team’s success has been recognised nationally, having been awarded ‘most innovative partnership to tackle serious and organised acquisitive crime’ by the NPCC.
In addition to the newly strengthened rural crime team, Dorset also has its own Partnership Against Rural Crime (PARC). Established by my office in 2022, the Dorset PARC brings together agencies such as Dorset Council, Dorset Police, and The Environment Agency, amongst others, to work together and share knowledge and best practice.
I am pleased to be able to say it’s working, and the impact of the Dorset PARC and Dorset Police’s award-winning Rural Crime Team is being felt by rural communities across the county. A recent report from NFU Mutual showed a 28 per cent drop in the cost of crime for Dorset compared to an increase of 22.1 per cent nationally.
Conclusion
Conservative PCCs understand the golden thread that it is about serving the public and ensuring their needs are met. That is the most important part of the job and Conservative PCCs have tight focused plans to deliver. They serve the people, not a political ideology, but utilizing conservative fiscal prudence and the desire to drive crimefighting and a framework of law and order that allows communities, businesses and individuals to flourish. In May you will have a choice and in Dorset as in many other areas, I hope that the people will back the golden thread and a plan that’s working and being delivered by their Conservative PCC.
