CHANGES are being made to the way rural policing is carried out in Dorset.

The force will create new teams in a bid to better manage the demands and priorities of areas including Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton and Blandford.

Blandford Town's team will consist of five PCSOs and one PC, overseen by a police sergeant.

A further town-based team will cover Gillingham and Shaftesbury, made up of six PCSOs, two PCs and overseen by a police sergeant.

The final team will police the rural areas of North Dorset, combining the Gillingham Rural, Shaftesbury Rural, Blandford Rural and Sturminster Newton teams. A police sergeant will manage two PCs and six PCSOs.

North Dorset Neighbourhood Inspector, Rob Chalkley, said: “This model is already working well in the East of the county, so we are excited to get it up and running here in North Dorset.

“The issues facing our towns and our rural areas are different, so they require a bespoke approach from their neighbourhood police.

"This restructure will ensure that teams have the correct expertise, resources and time to assist the communities they serve."

PCC Martyn Underhill, added: "Over half of Dorset’s residents live in rural areas, so it is critical that we continue to develop our approach to rural crime.

"The introduction of the rural crime team last year represented an important step towards consistency in intelligence, reporting and crime prevention.

"Consolidating the work done to tackle rural crime in North Dorset into one team that is equipped with the correct knowledge and expertise will help to continue this positive trend."