Dorset Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Dorset in South West England. The force covers an area of with a population of 774,000.
History Dorset County Constabulary was formed in 1856. In 1965, it had an establishment of 544 and an actual strength of 466.The Thin Blue Line, Police Council for Great Britain Staff Side Claim for Undermanning Supplements, 1965 On 1 October 1967, it merged with Bournemouth Borough Police to form Dorset and Bournemouth Constabulary.
On 1 April 1974, this force took over some areas (mainly Christchurch and its hinterland) from Hampshire Constabulary and acquired its present name of Dorset Police.
Chief constables Dorset Constabulary 19241955 Peel Yates 19551962 Ronald Berry Greenwood 19621967 Arthur Hambleton
Dorset and Bournemouth Constabulary 19671974 Arthur Hambleton
Dorset Police 19741980 Arthur Hambleton 19811982 David Owen 1982 1995 Brian Weight 19951998 D. W. Aldous 19992004 Jane Stichbury 20052012 Martin Baker 20122018 Debbie Simpson 20182021 James Vaughan 2021–2023 Scott Chilton 2023present Amanda Pearson Chief Constable Amanda Pearson, started her role on 1 March 2023, after her predecessor Scott Chilton moved to the same role in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. She is the third female chief constable of Dorset Police, after Jane Stichbury and Debbie Simpson. Pearson started her policing career in 1993 and has worked at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Hertfordshire Constabulary, the City of London Police and Thames Valley Police, before joining the Metropolitan Police, where she worked as a Chief Officer. Whilst here, Pearson was the spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police's tactic of officers being able to knock moped thieves off their bikes. Pearson was also the programme lead for the Police Plan of Action on Inclusion and Race, a role in which in 2021, she stated that she had 'never seen' an officer being racist, whilst she was working in the Metropolitan Police.
Governance Dorset Police was formerly responsible to the Dorset Police Authority, which was replaced in 2012 by the elected Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). The first PCC was independent Martyn Underhill, who served between 22 November 2012 and 12 May 2021. , the PCC is David Sidwick, who represents the Conservative Party. As of 2025 the government has planned to remove all PCCs by 2028
Police area and other forces The force covers an area of with a population of 774,000, which increases in the tourist season. In 2022, Dorset Police received 121,798 emergency calls on 999.
In 2023, Dorset Police:
Received 323,000 contacts from 999, 101, online and in person Attended 57,489 incidents Made 8,500 arrests Located 4,392 missing people
Officers in Dorset have legal jurisdiction throughout all of England and Wales, including areas that have their own special police forces, as do all police officers of territorial police forces (as per Section 30 of the Police Act 1996). Officers also have limited powers in Scotland and Northern Ireland (as per Section 137 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994).
Other police services work alongside Dorset Police in the county. This includes the British Transport Police (BTP), who are responsible for policing of the rail network in Great Britain. Their office for Dorset is at Bournemouth railway station.
Port of Portland Police is a non-Home Office ports police force within Dorset that is responsible for the Port of Portland. In July 2020, the Port Police agreed a memorandum of understanding with Dorset Police to involve the sharing of assets, improving communication and allowing the collation of information.
Operations Air Operations Unit Since 2014, air support has been provided by National Police Air Service (NPAS). Its nearest helicopter is based at Bournemouth Airport and also supports nearby police forces.
Criminal Investigation Department Criminal Investigation Department (CID) provides advice to all policing units on crime-related matters and maintaining a corporate approach to reducing crime, as well as providing specialist and investigative roles. CID is split into numerous sub-departments, which include: Child Protect Investigation, Intelligence Directorate, Scientific Support.
Dog Section The Dog Section was established in 1953; the unit is based in Eastern Division HQ in Ferndown. The unit comprises one inspector, one sergeant, 13 constables and 22 dogs, including general purpose German Shepherds and more specialist breeds.
Marine Policing Unit The Marine Unit is responsible for policing the 89 miles of Dorset's coastline and up to 12 miles out to sea. The area is one of the busiest coastal areas in the UK, including two of the busiest ports, numerous shipping lanes, thousands of private moorings, the RNLI's busiest callout area and a training centre for the Royal Marines.
Ports Policing Unit The Ports Policing Unit is responsible for policing all ports in Dorset including Poole Harbour, Swanage Harbour, Portland Harbour, Weymouth Harbour, Christchurch Harbour and Bournemouth Airport.
Roads Policing Unit The force is responsible for policing road across the county. There are no motorways located within Dorset. Dorset Police have around 450 vehicles, from 20 different manufacturers, and drive a total of 7.5million miles a year. The Roads Policing Unit (RPU) also features the No Excuse Team, launched in 2010, which aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Dorset roads; and the Interceptor Team, launched in 2023, which targets criminals using the road network within Dorset.
Tactical Firearms Unit The Tactical Firearms Unit responds to major and serious crimes where firearms are involved.
Locations
The force headquarters is at Winfrith. Police stations open to the public are located at Blandford, Bournemouth Central, Bridport, Gillingham, Poole, Sherborne, Swanage and Weymouth.
Stations without a public front desk are Boscombe, Dorchester, Ferndown, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton, Verwood, Wareham, Wimborne and Winton.
There are two custody suites at Bournemouth Central and Weymouth Police station.
In September 2017, the Christchurch Neighbourhood Policing Team moved to the fire station on Fairmile, further advancing the relationship with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. StationPublic front deskCustody suiteNotesBlandford✓The front desk to the police station reopened on 27 March 2023BoscombeClosed in 2012, then again in 2016, the station reopened in October 2023 as an 'operational base' for officersBoscombe HubOpened in late 2015 to station officers from the Boscombe Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT)Bournemouth✓✓Opened in late 2010, the station and cells moved from the old site on the opposite side of the road, which closed in 2011BeaminsterBeaminster Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), moved out of the station and into the community fire station in May 2016.Bridport✓Christchurch (now at the Fire Station)The original Christchurch police station closed to the public on 1 March 2015 due to 'budget cuts'. The station closed fully in September 2017. Since that time, officers from Christchurch's Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) are based in an office situated below Christchurch Fire Station.DorchesterThe original buildings of the station date to 1861. The front desk closed on 1 March 2015 due to 'budget cuts'.FerndownIn 2015, in a bid to save £700,000, Dorset Police attempted to sell Ferndown Police Station. The site was listed for £6million, however, as of 2024, it has not been sold. The station, alongside Weymouth, it also is home to the Dog Section.Gillingham✓HighcliffeClosed in 2011, replaced by residential housing.Lyme Regis✓Open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the front desk to the police station reopened on 30 May 2023Poole✓✓*After the station at the Civic Centre closed in 2009, the current station opened on 17 December 2009.*Whilst there is a custody suite, this closed in the summer of 2011, as part of cost-cutting measures. The cells are kept in a permanent state of readiness for times when there is high demand. Poole custody is used when Bournemouth custody undergoes a deep clean at the end of each year. Another police station in the Gravel Hill area of Poole closed in October 2012.ShaftesburyThe front desk closed on 1 March 2015 due to 'budget cuts'.Sherborne✓Sturminster NewtonSwanage✓Opened in 1899, the station closed to the public in 2012. The front desk reopened in August 2023.VerwoodIn an attempt to save £500,000, Verwood's front desk was closed in summer 2014.WarehamThe front desk closed on 1 March 2015 due to 'budget cuts'.Weymouth✓✓The station, alongside Ferndown, is also home to the Dog Section.Weymouth EastWimborneIn an attempt to save £500,000, Wimborne's front desk was closed in summer 2014.WintonThe front desk closed on 1 March 2015 due to 'budget cuts'.
Ranks
Dorset Police uses the standard British police ranks, indicated by epaulettes, up to chief constable. Special constable's collar numbers begin with either the number '3' or '4' and consist of four numbers.
Insignia Dorset Police's officer rank structure, with epaulette design, is as follows (from highest to lowest):
Uniforms and equipment
Uniform In 2012, Dorset Police officers moved from blue shirts to black wicking tops (PCSOs wear blue wicking tops). They either wear hi-visibility or black tactical vests on top of body armour.
Equipment Dorset Police use Motorola MXP600 TETRA digital radios.They are equipped with Reveal D3 Body Camers.a They also use rigid handcuffs, limb restraints, telescopic batons and incapacitant spray.
Some officers carry the Conducted Energy Device (CED) Axon TASER, a non-lethal electroshock weapon used to incapacitate targets via shocks of 50,000volts. As of 2021, there were 374 officers trained in using TASER.
Firearms officers carry rifles and a pistol as their sidearm.
Some officers are trained in the use of 'stinger' (also known as a spike strip), that slowly releases air from tyres of a vehicle when it goes over it.
Vehicles Previously, Dorset Police Transport Services manage the force's 450 vehicles, across its divisional units, road policing unit, and armed response. However, in 2016, Dorset's Fleet Services aligned with Devon & Cornwall's as part of a proposed force merger. As a result, there are now seven workshops available across the three counties, and Dorset manages and maintains approximately 500 vehicles as part of 'Alliance Fleet Services'.
As of 2020, Dorset Police had 429 vehicles which included 338 cars, 83 vans and 8 motorcycles. Examples of the vehicle makes and models that Dorset Police have used or currently use include vehicles made by Vauxhall, Ford and Mercedes.
Performance
British Crime Survey The British Crime Survey for 2010 found that there was an overall fall in crime in Dorset by 2.5%, and the largest fall in crime was robbery, which fell by 20%, making Dorset Police the eighth best performing force out of 43 in England and Wales, and first in forces similar to Dorset.
The performance figures from Dorset Police comparing April to December 2009 with the same period during 2008, showed a 9.9% drop in burglary, an 8.5% drop in criminal damage, a 3.5% fall in vehicle crime, a 3% drop in total violent crime, and a 17.8% fall in the most serious violent crime. Criminal damage fell by 5.8%, violence against the person without injury by 9.3%, violence against the person by 5.2%, drug offences by 5.1% and there was a 2.8% fall in total recorded crime.
According to the British Crime Survey, 63.8% of people think Dorset Police deals with local concerns, making Dorset the best performing force in England and Wales for that issue.