Extra police for seaside resort despite crime falls

Extra police officers are to be deployed in a seaside resort where crime has fallen and volunteers have also set up independent patrols.

Dorset Police has announced funding for 11 new officers serving Bournemouth town centre, as part of 40 extra officers across the county.

Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Sidwick said the deployment would help people to feel safe and was not a response to voluntary patrols started by Safeguard Force in Bournemouth in August 2025.

Police said antisocial behaviour (ASB) in Bournemouth town centre fell by 10% from 2024 to 2025, and serious violence had also decreased.

Safeguard Force previously said it set up uniformed patrols so that residents could "walk through Bournemouth and feel safe again".

It said it would "support and work with the police". Dorset Police previously said it did not endorse the group.

Police said the extra 10 constables and one sergeant would be "focused on active, visible policing, keeping businesses safe, tackling antisocial behaviour as well as solving crimes in neighbourhoods such as burglary".

It said 40 officers would join neighbourhood teams across the county from April.

Funding for the initiative came from the government's Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, police added.

Sidwick said: "ASB is falling, violent crime is falling in Bournemouth, and these officers will come and make a real difference to continue that good progress."

Ch Supt Julie Howe, in charge of policing for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, said hotspot patrols over the past year had reduced serious violence by more than a fifth.

She said: "We're absolutely committed to making sure that every woman, girl, man and boy feels safe coming into Dorset."

Paul Kinvig from the Bournemouth Business Improvement District said issues in the town included ASB, aggressive begging, drug taking and retail crime.

He said: "The increased numbers of officers are absolutely vital and incredibly welcome from traders."

Dorset Police said it recorded 2,345 ASB incidents in Bournemouth town centre between January and December 2025, compared to 2,104 in 2024.

In April 2025, the government pledged to introduce 3,000 new neighbourhood officers and community support officers (PCSOs) by the end of March 2026.

The Home Office said it was on target to meet the deadline, with almost 2,400 already in place by September 2025.

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