Dorset Police provides policing services to the county of Dorset. Although there are some areas of deprivation, Dorset is generally affluent. The police force area covers 1,024 square miles with approximately 140 miles of coastline in the south west of England. Around 0.8 million people live in a predominantly rural setting. The area has a number of distinct urban areas, including the towns of Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Dorchester. The resident population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit, socialise in, or travel through the county each year. The transport infrastructure includes air and sea ports.
HMICFRS independently assesses police forces and policing across activity from neighbourhood teams to serious crime and the fight against terrorism – in the public interest.
In preparing our reports, we ask the questions which citizens would ask, and publish the answers in accessible form, using our expertise to interpret the evidence. We provide authoritative information to allow the public to compare the performance of their force against others, and our evidence is used to drive improvements in the service to the public.
Force Area |
1024 square miles | |
Population |
0.76m people | 9% local 10 yr change |
Workforce |
73% frontline | 78% national level |
| 3.1 per 1000 population | 3.6 national level | |
| 14% change in local workforce since 2010 | 15% national change since 2010 |
Victim-based crimes |
0.05 per person | 0.06 national level |
| Local 5 year trend | National 5 year trend (no change) |
Cost |
45p per person per day local | 55p per person per day national |
Martyn Underhill
Chief Constable Debbie Simpson QPM, appointed in February 2013
