Bournemouth West MP, police and council address residents' concerns at Safer Community events

Bournemouth West MP Jessica Toale hosted three Safer Communities events bringing local residents together with Dorset Police and BCP Council's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) team to tackle neighbourhood safety concerns.

The events, held on Friday 31 October at Redhill Park Cafe, Slades Park Pavilion and Winton Royal British Legion, gave residents the opportunity to raise concerns about anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, tool theft and shoplifting directly with police and council officers and learn what the national and local government, police and other partners were doing to address this.

Jessica highlighted increased funding and powers for local police through the Crime & Policing Bill, and re-affirmed her commitment to closing the gap between relatively low crime stats and high levels of concern over safety in Bournemouth.

Dorset Police officers spoke about their ongoing efforts to tackle crime in the area, including sharing new technology they're using to catch criminals and information about how they build intelligence on local crime patterns. Officers explained the importance of residents reporting all incidents, as this intelligence helps police understand where to target their resources most effectively.

Claire Seymour, from BCP Council's ASB Team, listened to residents' concerns and explained how she works in partnership with police to reduce crime locally.

Attendees were provided with maps of their areas and asked to highlight key locations where they had witnessed crimes or anti-social behaviour. This will feed directly into the work of Dorset Police and BCP Council's ASB Team, helping them target their efforts where they're needed most.

“People deserve to feel safe in their communities," said Jessica. "But too often they don’t. These events were about giving residents a real opportunity to be heard and to work with the police and council on practical solutions to crime and anti-social behaviour. Local people know their areas best, and their input is vital to making policing more effective. I’ll keep making the case in Parliament for the funding and resources Dorset needs to deliver safer streets for everyone.” 

Earlier this year, Dorset Police - with government funding - expanded its hotspot policing as part of the Safer Streets initiative for Bournemouth town centre and Wimborne Road in Winton, increasing visible police presence in these areas.

The Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee commits to funding and recruiting 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables across the country, ensuring every community has a named, contactable officer. 40 of these will be assigned to Dorset Police.

The Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee commits to funding and recruiting 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables across the country, ensuring every community has a named, contactable officer. 40 of these will be assigned to Dorset Police.

Councillor Kieron Wilson, BCP Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for community safety, added: “While reported incidents of antisocial behaviour are falling across our communities, we recognise that disruption can still vary widely. That’s why it’s vital we continue to engage with residents, listen to their experiences, and respond with targeted action. 

"Working closely with our partners, we’re committed to tackling antisocial behaviour in all its forms, preventing issues before they arise and taking decisive action when they do.”