Press release from Dorset Police

Summer operation reduces violence in Dorset towns
Community safety partners involved in a summer-long operation to reduce violence in Dorset towns say it has been a success.
Under Operation Protect, police, health, fire, local councils and voluntary sector workers took to the streets of Bridport, Christchurch, Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland in the early evening to tackle violence through increased enforcement and prevention activity.
This approach resulted in a reduction in violent crime in the towns – 19 per cent in Bridport; 24 per cent in Christchurch; 35 per cent in Dorchester; and 11 per cent in Weymouth and Portland – during August (2010) when compared to last year.
Dorset Police Superintendent Jane Newall, who oversaw the operation, said: “As the evenings get lighter and warmer, police in these towns traditionally see an increase in incidents of violence linked to alcohol.
“To tackle this, we put a variety of partnership resources into the towns, early on in the evening, to prevent incidents from occurring and provide a quick response to arising incidents in a bid to prevent escalation – and we succeeded.”
The activity, which was tailored to each town, saw additional police officers on patrol focusing on the town centres on Friday and Saturday evenings.
On occasions, officers were joined by Dorset Primary Care Trust staff, on-hand to provide visitors to the towns with generic health and sexual health advice.
Local councils’ community safety officers were also on patrol in a bid to keep people safe, as were youth workers and volunteers like Street Pastors.
Police officers, alongside council licensing officers and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service staff, visited the towns’ licensed premises, taking action against anyone found flouting licensing laws.
Prior to these enforcement visits, police officers and police community support officers had liaised with licensees, belonging to the towns’ respective pubwatch schemes, advising them on how to facilitate a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for patrons.
Meanwhile, Dorset County Council’s Trading Standards officers visited off-licenses in the towns to ensure alcohol was not being sold to anyone under the age of 18.
Police officers were also seizing alcohol from anyone under the age of 18 and in certain cases, contacting parents of those acting in an anti-social manner to advise them that their son or daughter had been brought to the attention of the police.
Alcohol and drug outreach services were also out on the towns’ streets to offer young people advice and guidance on alcohol and drug use.
The operation was funded by the Dorset Community Safety Partnership (CSP), which represents partners across the Dorset County Council area.
Councillor Ray Nottage, Chair of the Dorset CSP, said: “Operation Protect was targeted at the four areas with the clear objective of reducing alcohol related incidents leading to injury; the results show the value of community partnership working, early intervention and high visibility.
“Protect was an initiative highlighted by communities and included all community safety partners, that it was a success is due their diligence and professionalism.
The Community Safety Partnership is delighted with the reductions recorded in all of the four areas.”