Authorities Working in Partnership For A Safe Summer

Weymouth Town Council hosted partners including Dorset Police, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, Dorset Council, Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Business Improvement District in Weymouth on Thursday 20 March.

The agencies came together to showcase how they are working together to plan for a safe summer as more people are expected in Dorset over the coming months.

Dorset Police outlined how they adapt to the extra demand on their services. Chief Superintendent Julie Howe said: “We change our shift patterns. We make sure that we’ve got people starting at the right time and finishing at the right time so that we have operational continuity, but we also make sure that we work really closely with our partners. It’s not just policing that’s providing a 24-hour service but where our other partners can support in that demand we work closely with them to plan for our summer.”

Speaking about Weymouth, Cllr David Harris, Council Leader at Weymouth Town Council (pictured second from left above) commented on how the Council’s Resort Team play a role: “As we know, Weymouth is a popular resort, and by working in partnership with the police and other agencies we help to ensure everyone has a good experience of our wonderful town.

“Weymouth Town Council’s Resort Team carry out daily patrols and general inspections of the beach, and refer any incidents on to police or Community Safety Accredited Scheme officers as and when required.

“They attend regular meetings with the neighbourhood policing team to discuss any operational issues, and look at the week ahead including talking about any upcoming events like summer fireworks nights.”

Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, said: “Weymouth is a great place and we want everyone to feel safe whether they are visiting or if they live here. We work hard to keep people safe through the presence of our Community Safety Patrol Officers, Civic Enforcement Officers and through funding of the Safer Streets Partnership and Pineapple Project. Dorset Council provides a visible, reassuring presence in lots of different ways. 

“Working with our partners means we can share local information so we can react to community concerns. Through an agreement with the town council, we ensure the beach and the esplanade are cleaned daily, any parking issues are dealt with swiftly and we put on additional waste collections to keep the town looking its best.”

A similar operation also took place in Bournemouth earlier in the week.

ENDS