WORK to combat crime across Dorset has seen good progress over the past four years, Dorset’s police and crime commissioner has said.

Dorset PCC David Sidwick has said Dorset is on the right path to be an even safer county: data shows under his watch the county has gone from being the 10th safest nationally to the seventh. 

But in order to continue the momentum of progress being made, further funding is required, Mr Sidwick warned. 

He said he has been lobbying to the government asking for more, including for extra cash to deal with the influx of tourists who come to the county in the summer, which the force currently gets no extra funding for. 

The PCC has launched a precept survey for residents to fill in and in it has asked residents how much extra they are willing to pay each month: £1.08 (£13 per year), £1.67 (£20 a year) or £2.50 (£30 a year). 

Bournemouth Echo: David Sidwick on a drugs raidDavid Sidwick on a drugs raid (Image: NQ)

He said: “Very clearly, I do not want to have to ask even for an extra penny. But what I'm concerned about is we have made such good progress with this seven-year police and crime plan, we are two-and-a-half years, we’re already getting anti-social behaviour down, but we need to get it down everywhere. 

“There are areas where we know it hasn’t moved yet. We are making the police more visible and connected, we are addressing drugs with Operation Scorpion and making a real difference. 

Read more: Surrender bins placed across Dorset in fight against knife crime

“That will continue and we want to move that even further. We know we are addressing rural crime and that’s we’ve lowered the cost of that significantly in rural Dorset. 

“All of this work needs to continue and that’s why I’m doing this survey and asking people because it is not just for me to put up money.” 

Bournemouth Echo: PCC with new knife wands given to officersPCC with new knife wands given to officers (Image: Daily Echo)

When he came into office, Mr Sidwick said one of his and resident’s main areas of concern was drugs, drug dealers and drug addicts. 

“Before I came into office, this was effectively hidden and I have been very clear that we need to talk about it and we need to address it,” he said. 

Since coming into office, he has worked with other south west PCCs to make Dorset a “hostile environment” for dealers and users. 

This, he said, has resulted in £1m worth of drugs being taken off the streets, as well as arrests of more than 600 people and safeguarding of around 500.

  • He said: "We've gone from the 10th safest county to the seventh safest and Dorset police have moved from social work to crime fighting."

The survey, which takes less than five minutes to complete, can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Precept24Media.