Dorset Police
His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMI): Roy Wilsher is temporary HMI for Dorset.
This force is in the Wales and Western HMICFRS policing region.
HMICFRS’s assessment of Dorset Police
Our PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy), and other force assessments give you information about how your local police force has performed in several important areas.
In our latest assessments of Dorset Police, we made the following judgments:
Read our other reports for Dorset Police
News related to Dorset Police.
Recent news
- Forces must improve the effectiveness of crime investigations and achieve better outcomes for victims
- Responses to the super-complaint report on the police response to stalking
- Police forces must be better prepared to tackle future instances of violent disorder
- Consultation on proposed Criminal Justice Joint Inspection programme for 2025–27
- Police forces need to improve how they identify, record and respond to antisocial behaviour
Publications related to Dorset Police.
Recent publications
- An inspection into how effectively the police investigate crime
- Responses to the super-complaint report on the police response to stalking
- An inspection of the police response to the public disorder in July and August 2024: Tranche 1
- The policing response to antisocial behaviour: PEEL spotlight report
- Proposed policing inspection programme and framework 2025–29: For consultation
Key facts – 2019/20
Force Area
Population
Workforce
Victim-based crimes
Cost
These are the latest key facts about Dorset Police.
About the force
Dorset Police provides policing services to the county of Dorset. The police force area covers 1,024 square miles with approximately 140 miles of coastline in the south west of England.
Although there are some areas of deprivation, Dorset is generally affluent.
Around 0.8 million people live in a predominantly rural setting. The area has a number of distinct urban areas, including the towns of Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Dorchester. The resident population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit, socialise in, or travel through the county each year.
The transport infrastructure includes air and sea ports.
More about this area – What Dorset Police says