Dorset Police
South West · Territorial force · 1,350 officers
Key Statistics
Officers
1,350
Staff
700
Area (sq miles)
1,024
Population served
780,000
About Dorset Police
Covering Bournemouth, Poole and Dorset including the Jurassic Coast. A coastal force with seasonal tourism challenges, strong community policing and good quality of life.
Dorset Police is a territorial force serving an area that includes both urban and rural environments, prominently featuring Bournemouth, Poole, and the scenic Jurassic Coast. This region balances a mix of vibrant urban communities and tranquil countryside, making it unique in its policing requirements. Alongside its stunning natural landscapes, the force faces specific operational quirks, such as its proximity to the New Forest National Park and shared borders with Wiltshire and Devon and Cornwall police forces. This geographic arrangement necessitates careful cooperation in policing efforts, especially in cross-border crime and resource sharing.
Dorset Police is equipped with several notable specialist units that enhance its operational capabilities, including a Dog Unit for public safety and community engagement, and a Cyber Crime Team focusing on digital threats. Additionally, the force has established a Rural Crime Team aimed at addressing the unique challenges posed by rural areas, such as agricultural crime.
The force prioritizes numerous strategic areas to uphold community safety and wellbeing. Current key focus areas include tackling domestic violence, combatting serious and organized crime, enhancing road safety, and responding effectively to public concerns about anti-social behavior. By addressing these priorities and leveraging its specialized skills, Dorset Police aims to maintain safety and trust within its diverse communities.
Current priorities
- Combatting domestic violence
- Tackling serious and organized crime
- Enhancing road safety
- Addressing anti-social behaviour concerns
Notable specialisms
Source: About Dorset Police. Summary fetched 2026-07-05.
Public-data snapshot
Workforce
Officers
1,350
Staff
700
Total headcount
2,050
Source: Home Office Police Workforce Statistics as of 31 March 2025 · OGL v3
HMICFRS PEEL rating
good
Inspection cycle: 2023-2025
Source: HMICFRS PEEL assessments · Open Government Licence v3.0
In recent oversight reports
Dorset Police is named in 1 recent IOPC investigation outcome or HMICFRS thematic report.
Terms of reference: Home Secretary’s commission for a thematic inspection of the handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services
2023-07-19 · HMICFRS
From data.police.uk
data.police.uk covers England, Wales & Northern Ireland; not Police Scotland.
Stop and search
Latest available month: 2026-08. 201 recorded stop-and-search records that month. Officer-defined ethnicity was recorded on 78.1% of records.
By object of search (2026-08)
| Controlled drugs | 150 |
| Stolen goods | 23 |
| Offensive weapons | 20 |
| Article for use in theft | 4 |
| Articles for use in criminal damage | 2 |
| (not recorded) | 2 |
By outcome (2026-08)
| (not recorded) | 101 |
| Community resolution | 41 |
| A no further action disposal | 30 |
| Arrest | 21 |
| Summons / charged by post | 7 |
| Khat or Cannabis warning | 1 |
Source: data.police.uk · Open Government Licence v3.0
Recorded crime by category
5,858 crimes recorded by Dorset Police in 2026-08 (latest published month), by category. Counted from the published street-level archive; England, Wales & Northern Ireland only.
| Crime type (2026-08) | Recorded |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,800 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1,790 |
| Shoplifting | 471 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 405 |
| Other theft | 362 |
| Public order | 314 |
| Vehicle crime | 210 |
| Burglary | 201 |
| Drugs | 117 |
| Robbery | 49 |
| Bicycle theft | 47 |
| Other crime | 40 |
| Possession of weapons | 39 |
| Theft from the person | 13 |
| Total | 5,858 |
Source: data.police.uk street-level archive · Open Government Licence v3.0
Deaths during or following police contact
IOPC-recorded fatalities involving Dorset Police over 2004/05 to 2024/25 (2024/25 in brackets). These use the IOPC’s five categories, which have different definitions and are not additive. Figures count incidents the IOPC attributed to Dorset Police; see the national page for how multi-force incidents are handled.
Recruitment
How to join Dorset Police
Application stages, entry routes, fitness and vetting requirements.