Visitors to Dorset advised to stay safe this summer at popular tourist destinations
With thousands of tourists expected to visit the jurassic coast and beaches, local police and ambulance services have issued guidance.
Dorset Police say there will be more visible police patrols with July and August being their busiest time of year.
At peak times, busy town centres and beachfronts will be serviced by the force's officers with the aim to reduce anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.
Police say repeated behaviour may lead to further action, including community protection notices and criminal behaviour orders.
Police community support officers (PCSO), special constables and local authority community safety patrol officers (CSAS) will also be visible.
Meanwhile, South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is calling on the public to 'plan ahead' to keep their crews free for emergencies.
Advice includes spending 15 minutes to learn how to do CPR, and learning where the nearest defibrillator is to your home or holiday address.
They also are encouraging the public to stay out of the direct sun in hot weather, especially between the hours of 11am and 3pm, and to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
The service are also stressing that people know how to describe where they are, especially in a remote or rural area, by using their What3Words to dispatchers.
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick said, "Through high-visibility patrols, robust policing and effective community engagement, Dorset Police will continue to ensure everyone who lives, works and visits Dorset is safe – and feels safe - this summer.
"I know the next few weeks are likely to be even busier than they have already, and I am confident the Force is prepared to tackle the extra demand and ensure our area remains one of the safest places in the country."
Meanwhile, Nick Reynolds, Head of Ambulance Operations (South Area) at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said, "The school summer holidays are always an incredibly busy time for our teams, and we want to make sure we're there for everyone who needs us in a medical emergency.
"I want to thank our staff and NHS colleagues who continue to work tirelessly through this challenging period to support our communities."
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ITV News
23-07-2025
- ITV News
Visitors to Dorset advised to stay safe this summer at popular tourist destinations
Residents and visitors to Dorset are being advised how to stay safe during the holiday season. With thousands of tourists expected to visit the jurassic coast and beaches, local police and ambulance services have issued guidance. Dorset Police say there will be more visible police patrols with July and August being their busiest time of year. At peak times, busy town centres and beachfronts will be serviced by the force's officers with the aim to reduce anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. Police say repeated behaviour may lead to further action, including community protection notices and criminal behaviour orders. Police community support officers (PCSO), special constables and local authority community safety patrol officers (CSAS) will also be visible. Meanwhile, South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is calling on the public to 'plan ahead' to keep their crews free for emergencies. Advice includes spending 15 minutes to learn how to do CPR, and learning where the nearest defibrillator is to your home or holiday address. They also are encouraging the public to stay out of the direct sun in hot weather, especially between the hours of 11am and 3pm, and to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. The service are also stressing that people know how to describe where they are, especially in a remote or rural area, by using their What3Words to dispatchers. Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick said, "Through high-visibility patrols, robust policing and effective community engagement, Dorset Police will continue to ensure everyone who lives, works and visits Dorset is safe – and feels safe - this summer. "I know the next few weeks are likely to be even busier than they have already, and I am confident the Force is prepared to tackle the extra demand and ensure our area remains one of the safest places in the country." Meanwhile, Nick Reynolds, Head of Ambulance Operations (South Area) at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said, "The school summer holidays are always an incredibly busy time for our teams, and we want to make sure we're there for everyone who needs us in a medical emergency. "I want to thank our staff and NHS colleagues who continue to work tirelessly through this challenging period to support our communities."
BBC News
20-07-2025
- BBC News
Dorset Police patrols to tackle summer anti-social behaviour
High-visibility police patrols will take place at popular tourist destinations during the summer "to ensure everyone who lives, works and visits Dorset is safe", police Police said its uniformed teams would patrol busy town centres and beachfronts at peak times during July and August as part of its Good, Safe Summer said it was part of its commitment to reduce anti-social behaviour and criminal activity across the force said Dorset welcomes an estimated more than 25 million day visitors each year, with many of those travelling to the south coast during the summer holidays. Local policing commander Julie Howe said Dorset Police was "committed in our efforts to ensure residents, business owners and visitors to Dorset feel safe and can enjoy their time here"."I would like to reiterate my message to please enjoy yourselves in a safe and responsible way this summer," she added. 'Robust policing' Alongside regular patrols, the force said officers would use dispersal powers to direct people away from areas if they act in an anti-social said repeat offenders could face further action, including community protection notices and criminal behaviour Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: "Through high-visibility patrols, robust policing and effective community engagement, Dorset Police will continue to ensure everyone who lives, works and visits Dorset is safe – and feels safe - this summer."I know the next few weeks are likely to be even busier than they have been already, and I am confident the force is prepared to tackle the extra demand and ensure our area remains one of the safest places in the country." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Times
07-07-2025
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Smelling cannabis in public makes me feel unsafe, police chief says
The police and crime commissioner lead for substance misuse has said cannabis is 'chronically dangerous'. David Sidwick, who is the police and crime commissioner for Dorset, backed the College of Policing's stance that the smell of the drug on British streets is 'a sign of crime and disorder'. Sir Andy Marsh, the chief executive of the College of Policing and a former chief constable of Avon and Somerset, said smoke made him feel unsafe in his own community and it was the sort of problem that police 'ought to do something about'. It comes after Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, among others, called for possession of small quantities of the class B drug to be decriminalised. Sidwick told The Times: 'I'm really pleased that the College of Policing is taking this seriously because going soft on this stuff doesn't work. The reason why the smell of cannabis is so prevalent is because we've had 30 years of people saying it isn't dangerous. 'I worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 30 years and this drug has long-term chronic side effects. It is associated with more birth defects than thalidomide and is linked to more than 20 cancers. Not to mention the issues with psychosis and drug driving.' Sidwick wrote a letter last month to the police minister Diana Johnson which was signed by 13 other police and crime commissioners claiming that the effect of the drug in society 'may be far worse' than heroin. • Have the police effectively decriminalised cannabis already? He said: 'It is a chronically dangerous drug that we haven't gripped. The whole world has been subjected to a PR campaign in the other direction. Some of those countries who have legalised it are trying to put the genie back in the bottle — Thailand and the [Porto] mayor in Portugal — but once it is out it is staying out.' Marsh, who is in charge of national police standards, told the Daily Mail: 'In my community, my kids are too frightened to use the bus stop because it always stinks of cannabis. Policing is about creating an environment that people feel safe in. • How to reclaim the streets from crime, by a police chief with a plan 'I'm speaking from personal experience and people I talk to. If I walk through a town, city, or even village centre and I smell cannabis, it does actually have an impact on how safe I feel. 'One definition of what police should be doing is — [if] something [is] happening which does not feel right, someone ought to do something about it.' 'For me, the smell of cannabis around communities feels like a sign of crime and disorder.' Marsh, speaking before the start of a new leadership programme for policing, was supported by Sir Stephen Watson, the chief constable of Greater Manchester, and Serena Kennedy, the chief constable of Merseyside, who retires next month. They said police forces were in a 'foot race for public confidence' and could no longer ignore what have traditionally been seen as the 'little things'. Watson said: 'This is the so-called lower level stuff, but actually it really isn't lower level stuff in the sense that this is where the public take their cues as to how safe or otherwise they feel, and how effective or otherwise is policing. 'The public aren't going to give us top marks for being brilliant at investigating murder alone. They expect us to be a full-spectrum organisation and that is what we are seeking to inspire in those who come forward for this course.' Their intervention follows a report, backed by Khan, which recommended that possession of cannabis be dealt with under the Psychoactive Substances Act rather than the Misuse of Drugs Act and that possessing small quantities for personal use should not be a criminal act. The maximum penalty for possession is five years in prison. The report said policing of cannabis possession 'continues to focus on particular ethnic communities, creating damaging, long-lasting consequences for individuals, wider society and police-community relations'. The Home Office said it had 'no intention' of changing the drug's status.
