ANTI-social behaviour, theft, knife crime and fly tipping were some of the concerns residents asked BCP authorities to address.

Dorset Police, supported by PCC David Sidwick and Dorset Council, addressed issues within the community via an online meeting on Tuesday 12.

This was the second Facebook LIVE event used to give updates on what steps have been taken to “collectively to keep the public safe in the area”. 

Chief superintendent Heather Dixey, BCP LPA commander, said: “Our Facebook LIVE events provide our communities with an opportunity to ask questions directly to representatives from local agencies and help us to really understand the main areas that concern the public the most."

Ms Dixey said the meeting allowed authorities to provide updates about the “huge amount of partnership working that is taking place across BCP to tackle criminality, support our communities and carry out intervention measures to stop offences from happening in the first place".

Dorset police and crime commissioner David Sidwick said: “I was pleased to take part in the Facebook LIVE event as it gave me and the other members of the panel the chance to answer some very direct and difficult questions from residents.

“The whole point of such events are to make ourselves more accessible to the people we serve, to listen to concerns and answer questions, to provide the correct facts and figures and to challenge the misconceptions and misinformation that seems so prevalent of late.”

Councillor Kieron Wilson, portfolio holder for housing and regulatory services at BCP Council, added: “Our focus across the council is on the vital work we do every day with our colleagues at Dorset Police and other partners to help people feel safe so that everyone can enjoy what our area has to offer.

“The council’s role in the Safer BCP Community Safety Partnership sees us work to reduce criminality, anti-social behaviour (ASB), substance misuse and serious crime, including knife crime, to help create a safer and healthier place where businesses and communities can thrive.

“The partnership is also committed to tackling violence against women and girls across the region, keeping young people and adults-at-risk safe from exploitation, and coordinates with communities to deal with ASB and crime hotspots.”