Dorset Police and the Acting Police and Crime Commissioner welcomed a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) published today, Thursday 3 November, which assesses force efficiency. The report graded Dorset as ‘good’ overall at keeping people safe and reducing crime, understanding and making the most of its available resources and demands, and planning effectively for the future.
The efficiency report is the first of three, with inspections carried out between March and June 2016. These reports will make up the HMIC annual assessment of all 43 police forces in England and Wales.
Of the 43 police forces in England and Wales, 33 were assessed as ‘good’, two as ‘outstanding’ and eight as ‘require improvement.’
The HMIC report recognises that funding to the police service has been reduced by 20 per cent since 2011 and forces face a difficult challenge to sustain policing levels in the face of such budget cuts.
Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) James Vaughan said: “I am pleased that HMIC have assessed Dorset Police as a good and efficient force.
“We have been faced with significant reductions in funding and this grading result is a testament to the hard work that has taken place, ensuring we can continue to provide a good service to the residents of Dorset.”
The report assessed that the Force was good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. This is an improvement on progress since the last report in 2015 when the Force was deemed to ‘require improvement’ in this area.
Dorset Police was found to have a comprehensive understanding of the full range of demands for its services. The Force’s evaluation of likely future demand is extensive, demonstrating Dorset Police is well prepared.
Priority areas for future expansion have already been identified as child sexual exploitation, paedophile online investigation and cyber-crime.
Staffing levels are carefully monitored and have already increased in both domestic abuse and cyber-crime teams.
DCC Vaughan continued: “Protecting and safeguarding the most vulnerable in Dorset has always been a priority, and will continue to be a key focus for the Force.
Dorset Police was found to prioritise its current resources well to meet demands for service. The Force works well with partner agencies to manage demand more efficiently, with the reduction of people detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act being singled out as a particular success story.
Acting Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Colin Pipe, welcomed the HMIC’s grading. He said “I am pleased to see Dorset Police has been recognised as ‘good’ at making best use of resources and planning for the future , for the second year in a row.
“As with all public sector organisations, the Force is rightly scrutinised on its efficiency, and these positive findings by HMIC reflect the efforts made by officers and staff to best use the resources available to them to keep people safe and reduce crime.”
The Force continues to collaborate and build on its Strategic Alliance with Devon and Cornwall, to share services and reduce costs with clear plans for future operations and services.
The Force is also part of other regional collaboration projects looking at issues such as organised crime, forensics, fraud and counter terrorism.
Overall, HMIC found Dorset Police to be a ‘good’ force and did not identify any causes for concern and made no specific recommendations.
