Your Dorset. Your Police. Your View
We have launched the second phase of our Your Dorset. Your Police. Your View survey.
This part of the survey seeks people’s views on how they would prefer to contact Dorset Police, as well as how they would prefer to learn more about the ongoing work being carried out by the Force.
Findings will be used to help the Force develop the way it communicates with the public, and anyone who lives, works in or visits the county is now being asked to spend a few minutes completing the survey.
The survey looks into which option members of the public would choose if they wanted to report a non-emergency matter to Dorset Police, and how they would expect to be treated if they had to make an emergency call to the Force.
It also asks people which methods they would prefer Dorset Police to use to provide information to the public, and what types of public engagement they regard as being the most important.
The first part of our survey looked into some of the more complex crimes that are often hidden from view, but sadly cause the most serious threats to our lives and target vulnerable members of our community.
It also touched on those organisations who we work alongside to tackle the most complicated elements of modern policing.
On this page you can find out more about these crimes and the specialist teams we work with, as well as more details about how to contact the Force.
Thank you for taking part in our survey. Listening to your views is important to Dorset Police and the information we receive from you over the next few weeks will help steer our future direction.
Chief Constable James Vaughan QPM, MSt (Cantab)
How to contact us
There are a number of ways you can contact Dorset Police in relation to a non-emergency matter.
You can call us on 101, email us at 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk, write to us or visit one of our police stations.
As always if life is in danger or a crime is in progress call 999.
Please click here for more information
Who we work with
National Crime Agency
The National Crime Agency (NCA) leads the UK’s fight to cut serious and organised crime. NCA officers work at the forefront of law enforcement, building the best possible intelligence picture of serious and organised crime threats, relentlessly pursuing the most serious and dangerous offenders and developing and delivering specialist capabilities on behalf of law enforcement and other partners. They investigate a range of crimes including: immigration crime, modern slavery, drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal firearms.
South West Regional Organised Crime Unit
The South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW ROCU) is one of nine regional units across England and Wales that deliver specialist capabilities to target and disrupt serious and organised crime. Police officers and staff seconded from the region’s five forces work alongside colleagues from UK Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Its specialist capabilities include: child sexual abuse and online exploitation, cyber-crime, economic crime, surveillance and prison intelligence.
Forensic Capability Network
The FCN is a community of all its members’ forensic science capabilities and expertise, which brings together collective investment, focus, networking and support. At its heart is the desire to work together nationally to deliver high quality, specialist forensic science capabilities; to share knowledge; and to improve resilience, efficiency, quality and effectiveness. The FCN has been designed and developed under the Transforming Forensics programme, which aims to deliver high quality, specialist forensic capabilities in support of the NPCC's 2025 policing vision to rapidly protect communities and the vulnerable.
Action Fraud
Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime where people can report fraud if they have been scammed, defrauded or experienced cyber-crime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It provides a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime. The service is run by the City of London Police, working alongside the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) who are responsible for assessment of the reports and to ensure that fraud reports reach the right place.
Related videos
Complex crimes
Cyber-crime
Cyber-crime is a fast growing area of crime. Computer hacking, malware and cyber-enabled frauds now cost the UK just under one billion pounds every six months. The speed, convenience, anonymity of the internet and advancing technology means that the entry point for cyber-crime is lower than ever before, and would-be criminals are able to learn and develop their skills with resources readily available online. There are some basic steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of cyber-crime.
Terrorism
The police service works with a range of agencies to reduce the risk to the UK and its citizens from terrorism. There are four main areas:
• Prevent: to safeguard and support those vulnerable to radicalisation, to stop them from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
• Pursue: to stop terrorist attacks
• Protect: to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack
• Prepare: to mitigate the impact of a terrorist incident, by bringing any attack to an end rapidly and recovering from it.
Here you find advice on how to protect yourself and be prepared in the rare event of a major or terrorist incident.
Serious and organised crime
Serious and organised criminals are people who have worked together for an extended period of time to plan, coordinate and conduct serious crime. Activities include class A drug dealing, child criminal exploitation, cyber-crime, the use of weapons and violence and human trafficking. Other indicators of serious organised crime could be money laundering or people living beyond their means from the proceeds of crime. This crime often remains hidden from view.
Child sexual exploitation
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a form of child abuse and is illegal. Children and young people who become involved face risks to their physical, emotional and psychological health and wellbeing. It is our aim that no child should have to suffer sexual exploitation. Many young people who are being exploited do not realise they are at risk and will not ask for help. Some may see themselves as willing participants in such abuse, not realising that what is happening to them is illegal.
Child abuse
Child abuse is where a child does not receive the proper standard of care expected from a reasonable parent or carer and includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse or neglect. Increasingly victims are being targeted online. The sustained abuse or neglect of children can have major long-term effects on all aspects of a child’s health, development and wellbeing. We work alongside our partners to stop perpetrators from harming children in our community.
Modern slavery
Modern slavery is closer than you think. With both modern slavery and human trafficking, men, women and children are forced into a situation through the use of violence or threat of violence, deception or coercion. Victims may come from all over the world. Many will travel using their own legitimate documentation being unaware that they are, or are about to become, trafficking victims. Others will travel illegally, using false documentation, or clandestinely. Some victims may be UK citizens living in the UK.
Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse is defined as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. Abuse can include a variety of types: psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional. Domestic abuse can affect anyone of any age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity or class.
County lines
County lines is the term used to describe urban gangs supplying class A drugs to other parts of the UK using dedicated mobile phone lines. The gangs are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults in order to move and store drugs and money. To do this they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence and weapons. They will regularly exploit vulnerable people, by building up a debt or using threats and violence in order to take over a person’s home. This practice is commonly referred to as ‘cuckooing’.
Fraud
Fraud offences are becoming more complex and deceptive and much of this crime is targeted at vulnerable and elderly people. Fraud can be initiated in many ways, through emails, letters, telephone calls and face-to-face contact. Fraudsters want money and will do and say anything they can to con victims out of it. They attempt to trick people with flashy, official looking documents, websites and technical jargon, with the sole purpose of financial gain. Offences can include telephone scams and courier fraud, as well as doorstep crime involving distraction burglars and rogue traders. We can all play our part to ensure elderly and vulnerable residents don’t become victims.