Harbour Watch
Supporting Harbour Watch, the Dorset Marine Policing Team has responsibility for policing the 89 miles of coastline stretching from Lyme Regis to Christchurch and out to the territorial limit of 12 miles, along with the county's inland waterways.
This also includes the busy and popular Weymouth and Portland Harbours and the small fishing ports of West Bay and Swanage, along with the world's second largest natural harbour at Poole, which itself has over 100 miles of shoreline.
The Marine Policing Team consists of a dedicated Marine Policing Coordinator and a Marine Engagement Officer, acting as Deputy Coordinator. The team also has single points of contact (SPOCs) along the coast.
What we do
- retain overall management and oversight of marine policing issues in the county of Dorset and represent Dorset Police nationally in the maritime sphere
- gathering and analysis of marine related intelligence
- working with partner agencies to share information and identify joint responses
- monitoring of persistent marine offenders
- Development and co-ordination of proactive operations working with other force units and assets
- co-ordination of marine representatives in each divisional Neighbourhood Policing Team
- oversight of engagements and patrols targeting marine areas across Dorset
- tasking of Police vessels in response to intelligence or incidents
The team works closely with all of these agencies to adopt a problem-solving approach to issues affecting the sizeable maritime community:
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
Maritime and Coastguard Agency - government organisation
Harbours and quays - Dorset Council
Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA)
Border Force - government organisation
Contact us
To report suspicious activity you see on the water or pass information to us that you think may be useful, use our Harbour Watch contact form.