(From Dorset Police press office)) BURGLARY & VEHICLE CRIME AT A TEN YEAR LOW AS TOTAL CRIME AND VIOLENT CRIME ALSO FALL

Burglary and vehicle crime are at a ten-year low - with total crime and violent crime also falling - according to the latest annual figures released by Dorset Police.

Dorset is also the best out of its seven most similar forces for confidence in the police among members of the public.

In the specific areas of treatment of the public by staff, the action taken, making contact with the force and the public's whole experience of Dorset Police, the latest independent research shows that the public have rated Dorset as a top performing force.

Comparing the operational year April 2006 to March 2007 to the previous year, domestic burglaries are down by 24 per cent, vehicle crime is down by 20.9 per cent and total crime is down by 6.1 per cent.

Very significantly, violence involving injury is down by 13 per cent - the first reduction in violent crime for seven years.

Dorset Police Chief Constable, Martin Baker, said: "We set out to make Dorset safer - and to make Dorset feel safer - and this is exactly what has been achieved.

"Residents in Dorset can feel confident that they live in one of the lowest crime areas in the country and there has never been such a high probability that criminals in the county will be caught and brought to justice.

"It's a credit to all our staff - police officers, police staff, the Special Constabulary and our volunteers - that crime is at its lowest level for ten years and the detection rate is among the highest in the county, especially when you consider the limited resources available to us," explained Mr Baker.

"However, reductions in crime have not been achieved by Dorset Police alone. The public have played a huge part by taking our advice about safeguarding themselves, and their property - and coming forward with information about crime and criminals.

"The other criminal justice agencies, local authorities and our other partners have also played a significant part in helping to cut crime.

"Nevertheless, there is no room for complacency and we will be relentless in our efforts to make Dorset even safer."

Dorset Police is promoting its excellent end of year performance results through a county-wide publicity campaign paid for by some of the cash seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Mr Baker said: "Taking adverts in several local newspapers, as well as running an extensive radio advertising campaign - both planned to reach the maximum number of readers and listeners - means that we can keep a large number of people across the county informed of our results.

"We are also using the campaign as an opportunity to thank members of the public for all their help during the past year.

"In addition, we wanted to emphasise the importance of the police and local communities continuing to work together and remaining vigilant.

"We particularly want to remind the public that by March, 2008, every neighbourhood in Dorset will have its own Safer Neighbourhood Team - the consistent uniformed police presence that the public have asked for."

The advertising campaign, which finishes on 13 May 2007, is also focussing on promoting Dorset Police's excellent seizure results under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Last year, the force seized more than £3.5 million from criminals - including £1.8 million in cash.

While Dorset Police only benefits from a proportion of the assets seized - the majority of which go direct to central Government - these additional resources make a valuable contribution to fighting crime and reducing the fear of crime in Dorset.