Mixed inspection report for Dorset Police

The chief constable added: “I know that Dorset Police officers, staff and volunteers are fully committed to making Dorset a safe county for everyone. This inspection report is an endorsement that the Force is on the right path with a focus on the right things to improve.”

Responding to the report, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “This report offers a fair reflection of the improvements the Force continue to make, while recognising some of the progress already achieved. It is important to make clear that since the time of the inspection and this report being published, improvements have continued in many areas rendering some of the data from the inspection period obsolete.

“Some of the Inspector’s findings mirror areas where I have also challenged the Force to improve, for example on call times. I am pleased that contact officers are now answering more than 94 per cent of 999 calls within 10 seconds, on top of a 20 per cent increase in online crime reports, with 101 calls being answered in just over a minute. I know the Force remains rightly focused on further improving this vital service to the public and I will continue to scrutinise this work very closely.

“I want to make clear that I take each area of improvement seriously and will continue to hold the chief constable and Force to account on the public’s behalf to ensure these priorities are robustly gripped and positive changes are seen and felt by the public wherever possible.”