Safer BCP Partnership

Welcome to the Safer BCP Website

The council, police, health services, fire and rescue services, and probation services share a collective responsibility to understand the causes and nature of crime, anti-social behaviour, and substance misuse. Together these agencies work with our communities and voluntary-sector agencies to identify community safety priorities for BCP and put plans in place to address them.

All community safety partners, and all Council departments are responsible for making sure the strategy and action plans are delivered. In addition, this strategy supports other strategies and plans developed in other partnerships, such as the Health and Wellbeing Board, Adults and Children Safeguarding Boards, and other pan-Dorset strategic partnerships.

We would like to encourage partners to share our strategies and annual plans widely within their organisations and among user groups, so we may increase knowledge and understanding of the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and the collaborative approach to increasing safety and reducing crime.

We saw a 6% increase in police recorded crime in the BCP area between 2019 and 2021 which was slightly lower than national average, although differences in recording between CSP areas means that this can’t be compared precisely. In the first half of the 2022/23 year, there was no change in police recorded crime from the same period in 2021/22. However, there have been changes in the individual types of crime we see most often.

We understand the fight to improve safety within our communities is an ongoing challenge, and we are grateful for the participation of all our partners across all sectors. The commitment from partners to work with our residents and wider communities is clear and we appreciate and value their involvement.

There are known risk factors, including domestic abuse and violence, poor mental health and substance misuse that often result in our young people and adults becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. These factors will continue to put the achievements we will make under this strategy at risk. So, it is important that we continue to raise awareness among agencies and with communities of things we can do to reduce crime and disorder. These include taking preventative measures to safeguard those who are vulnerable, and at the same time work to eradicate risks by taking proportionate enforcement activity against those who are intent on committing crime and harm in our communities.

Reducing crime and disorder, and protecting vulnerable people are extremely important factors in improving the lives of BCP residents. By working together, the Partnership has already achieved many successes, including during the harshest points of the coronavirus pandemic. We are proud of these achievements, but we know there is more to be done.

We are committed to finding new ways of working to increase our effectiveness and to improve our outcomes through work with partners, local residents, visitors and businesses to make BCP even safer.

Cllr Kieron Wilson - BCP Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety & CSP Vice Chair

Chief Superintendent Heather Dixey - BCP Local Police Area and CSP Chair