This Saturday 25 August 2018, from 6pm, Dorset Police will be offering its social media followers a front row seat to a demanding shift in Bournemouth as the Force shares updates on the work of a busy frontline response unit.
The Force is expecting thousands of calls for assistance over the Bank Holiday weekend and is aiming to educate members of the public about the challenges faced in policing a busy seaside town.
You’ll be able to follow the work of PC Oliver Hudson and PC Josh Benoke via the hashtag #DorsetPoliceLIVE on Twitter (@DorsetPolice), Facebook (Dorset Police) and Instagram (Dorset_Police).
Across the Bank Holiday weekend last August, Dorset Police received 4,331 calls, recorded 2,162 incidents requesting police attendance and 578 crimes.
Chief Superintendent Mark Callaghan, Head of Territorial Policing, said: “Many people may never come into contact with policing services, but it is important that our residents understand the demands facing officers across the county.
“We did a similar initiative around Christmas last year and received hundreds of positive comments from members of the public who were keen to learn more about our work and the pressures officers experience.
“At a time when we’re highlighting the demands we face, we recognise our partners face similar resourcing challenges, it is important that members of the public consider other ways to contact us for non-urgent enquiries – and ensure they contact the right service to help them particularly over the upcoming busy period. Our website hosts a variety of functions including the ability to report crime, request a call back, provide intelligence or feedback.“
Dorset Police will also be sharing regular updates on its current demand throughout the evening, such as how many people are being held in custody, the number of incidents they are handling as well as call waiting times and volume.
Chief Superintendent Mark Callaghan, continued: “I’m very proud of the work of our dedicated officers and staff, and I hope members of the public will find this an interesting insight and I look forward to seeing your feedback on our social media accounts.”
Follow updates throughout the night on social media using the hashtag #DorsetPoliceLIVE from 6pm.
