Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill is holding a series of public meetings across Dorset to speak about the proposed merger between Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police. At the meetings he will answer your questions and explain what it could mean for the county.
The aim of the meetings is to help the public make an informed decision when completing the Future Policing survey about the proposal. No final decisions have been made yet and the public are encouraged to share their views via the survey.
Two meetings have already taken place in Ferndown and Wimborne. Further public meetings will be held as follows:
- Sherborne (Digby Memorial Church Hall) – between 9am and 12pm on 14 August
- Blandford (Durweston Village Hall) – between 1.30pm and 5.30pm on 14 August
- Lyme Regis (Woodmead Hall) – between 10am and 12pm on 17 August· Bridport (venue tbc) – 17 August
- Bournemouth (St Mark’s Church, Wallisdown Road) – between 6pm and 8pm on 20 August
- Christchurch (Druitt Room at Christchurch Library) – between 10am and 12pm on 22 August
In addition to the public meetings, there is also an opportunity to speak to the team face to face at one of the various summer events the police and crime commissioner and the team are attending. The team will be at the Festival of Wellbeing (10 August), the Gillingham and Shaftsbury Show (15 August), the Melplash Show (23 August), Bournemouth Air Festival (31 August) and the Dorset County Show (1 and 2 September).
Full details of public events either hosted or attended by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) can be found on the events calendar on the Dorset OPCC website: www.dorset.pcc.police.uk/events/calendar/
If you are unable to make it to any of the events throughout August to speak to the team about the merger, you can contact the office with your questions via email on mergerteam@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk.
Please also email the merger team if you would like to receive a paper copy of the survey with a freepost return envelope.
The public can share their views on the proposal to merge by completing the Future Policing survey. The survey and more information about the proposal can be found on the Future Policing website: www.futurepolicing.co.uk