Dorset Police has made some progress in how it tackles anti-social behaviour, but is not always able to identify repeat and vulnerable ASB victims as soon as they contact the police.
In Spring 2010, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) carried out a review to find out how the police can best tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB). The national findings were published alongside individual reports that outlined how successfully each force was dealing with the problem.
The results of a follow-up inspection published today found that Dorset Police has made some progress since HMIC’s last inspection in the way it understands and tackles ASB problems in Dorset. It has made a commitment to improvement in areas highlighted in the 2010 review, with ownership, directions and plans in place to support this commitment.
The force now has a much better understanding of ASB issues and risks, and has learnt lessons from previous cases of repeat victimisation. The commitment to neighbourhood policing is strong, and there has also been good progress in other areas. For instance, IT tools to plot and flag up ASB ‘hotspots’ have markedly improved.
However, while progress has been notable over the last nine months, the force is not always able to identify callers who are most at risk of harm from ASB as soon as they contact the police. This is particularly true for vulnerable victims and for those who have telephoned about ASB before. The force has recognised the issue and is currently testing a solution to remedy this
HM Inspector of Constabulary for the Western Region, Dru Sharpling, said:
“Anti-social behaviour is a blight that can wreck lives and communities. Our review shows that Dorset Police has made some progress in how it tackles the problem, and that victim satisfaction is in line with the national figures for England and Wales. The force should be commended for this – especially as it comes against the backdrop of significant budget cuts across the Service.
“However, there is no room for complacency. In particular, Dorset Police should continue to work on ensuring repeat and vulnerable callers are identified at the first point of contact. This progress is therefore an important step in delivering a much better service to victims.”
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