Multi-agency partners report that they are working together to keep people safe while they are out in Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne, during the evenings this summer.
Inspector Les Fry of Dorset Police said: “We are committed to ensuring people of west Dorset are safe and feel safe.
“Under the banner of Operation Protect, we are joining forces with health, fire, local councils and the voluntary sector to tackle violent crime in all forms through increased enforcement and prevention activity in the towns.”
Dorset Police is providing an enhanced level of policing throughout July, August and September 2010 – when, historically, levels of alcohol-related violence are known to increase – with additional officers on patrol focusing on the towns’ centres on Friday and Saturday nights.
On occasions, officers will be joined by Dorset Primary Care Trust staff, on-hand to provide visitors to the towns with generic health and sexual health advice.
West Dorset District Council’s Community Safety Officer and Environmental Health Team will also be joining officers on patrol in the towns in a bid to keep people safe.
Police officers, alongside West Dorset District Council Licensing Officers and Dorset Fire and Rescue Service staff, are also visiting the towns’ licensed premises, taking action against anyone found flouting licensing laws.
Prior to these visits, police officers have liaised with licensees, belonging to the towns’ respective pubwatch schemes, advising them on how to facilitate a safe and enjoyable atmosphere for patrons.
Patrolling police officers will be carrying pubwatch radios which allow licensees to contact an officer directly if needed.
Meanwhile, Dorset County Council’s Trading Standards officers are visiting off-licenses in the towns to ensure alcohol is not being sold to anyone under the age of 18.
Shire Alcohol and Drug Outreach Service (ShADOWS) workers will also take to the towns’ streets to offer young people advice and guidance on alcohol and drug use.
And staying in Dorset, licensed premises across Bournemouth have been subject to scrutiny by various enforcement agencies in a three-day operation to ensure they are adhering to their licensing conditions.
Last week, the agencies visited premises including off-licences, restaurants, pubs and bars taking action against the minority found flouting licensing laws.
On the afternoon of Monday 12 July 2010, Dorset Police, Bournemouth Borough Council’s Licensing and Environmental Health Teams, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) and the UK Border Agency reviewed premises in the Boscombe area.
As a result, DFRS issued one establishment with a licence prohibition notice concerning the sleeping quarters of the building. The UK Border Agency dealt with a person believed to be an illegal immigrant.
On the evening of Wednesday 14 July 2010, Dorset Police undertook an off-licence test purchasing exercise across Bournemouth to target the selling of alcohol to underage drinkers.
Police officers in plain-clothes accompanied two 16 year-old male volunteers into more than 20 premises. The volunteers sought to buy alcohol at each establishment which resulted in five positive sales at four different establishments.
Police Sergeant Steve Lyne, who organised the exercise, said: “While in the majority of cases premises refused to sell alcohol to the underage volunteers this exercise demonstrated that some licensees are still not being responsible enough.
“The sale of alcohol to under age persons will not be tolerated by Dorset Police and appropriate action will be taken against the four premises which sold on this occasion.”
Licensing checks took place in the Poole Hill area, also known as the Triangle, of Bournemouth town centre on the evening of Thursday 15 July 2010.
Dorset Police officers, including members of the area’s Safer Neighbourhood Team, worked alongside the local authority’s Licensing and Environmental Health Teams, Security Industry Authority (SIA) investigators and DFRS staff to carry out the checks which resulted in one establishment being issued with a closure notice.
Door supervisors and security guards on duty in the premises were all found to be working legally, holding and displaying valid SIA licences.
The SIA’s Head of investigation Paul Cartlidge said: “These results were encouraging. All of the security staff on duty held valid SIA licences, meaning the public were being protected by properly trained and licensed individuals.”
This operation was conducted under the banner of Operation Protect, which sees Dorset Police and partners working to tackle violent crime in all forms through increased enforcement and prevention activity in towns across Dorset.
