Neighbourhood police teams across Dorset are highlighting the work they do as part of a national Neighbourhood Policing Week of action.
The third national Neighbourhood Policing Week is a collaboration between the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs Council.
Forces up and down the country are joining together to recognise the work of local policing teams and learn from each other.
From today, Monday 22 January, local policing teams across the county will be promoting activity that neighbourhood officers, police community support officers (PCSOs) and volunteers do to protect the public and keep people safe.
Each policing area across Dorset has a dedicated neighbourhood team, supported by a neighbourhood enforcement team and rural crime team that collaborate with partners to target activity, tackling issues that are important to local communities.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Neil Corrigan said: “Dorset Police is committed to delivering exceptional local policing, putting local communities at the heart of everything we do and to providing a safe county for everyone.
“Everyone who lives, works, and visits Dorset should feel safe and we will work tirelessly to keep Dorset one of the safest counties in the country.
“It is important to ensure that our teams are visible, connected, and accessible, through regular engagement opportunities.
“We appreciate that people prefer to engage with police in different ways, so it is vital that we provide as many options as possible for our communities.
“As well as offering more availability to attend police stations, we have introduced our Community Contact Points as a way for members of the public to meet their local officers and report incidents face-to-face.”
Community Contact Points are drop-in events scheduled across the Dorset geography.
Events are advertised on the Dorset Police website and local social media platforms.
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick said: “Neighbourhood Policing Teams are the backbone of community policing playing an integral part in tackling crime and by being visible building public confidence.
“Their presence in our communities not only deters potential offenders but also reassures residents.
“In Dorset, our NPTs work to tackle the issues affecting their local communities the most such as ASB, often working with the community to identify hot spots, playing a key part in early intervention, and acting as a trusted presence creating a safer Dorset for all.
“I hope this week will shed some light on the outstanding work our Neighbourhood Policing Teams do to reduce crime and bring offenders to justice.
“I’d like to thank all of our teams in Dorset for their continued hard work and dedication to making Dorset the safest county in England and Wales.”
Find your local officer, see upcoming local events and meetings, and read about policing priorities in your area by clicking here.