Dorset police: crime, charging and courts
Dorset recorded 58.9 crimes per 1,000 people in the year to March 2026, lower than the England and Wales figure of 84.7. 9.0% of crimes ended with someone charged, against 8.6% nationally, which puts it 23rd of 42 forces for charge rate.
38.5% of crimes were closed with no suspect identified (national figure 37.8%), and the force had 1.83 officers per 1,000 people (national 2.36).
Crown Courts serving this area had 710 cases waiting at 31 March 2026. That is 0.89 per 1,000 people, fewer than the England and Wales figure of 1.30.
Explore Dorset in the interactive charts
How Dorset has changed since 2016
Each year to March. Crime and charge figures exclude fraud. Officers are full-time equivalent at 31 March.
| Year to March | Crime rate per 1,000 | Charge rate | No suspect identified | Officers | Officers per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 54.6 | 15.2% | 48.6% | 1,223 | 1.61 |
| 2017 | 58.5 | 14.6% | 44.7% | 1,266 | 1.65 |
| 2018 | 64.0 | 13.0% | 42.3% | 1,263 | 1.65 |
| 2019 | 70.5 | 10.6% | 38.1% | 1,223 | 1.59 |
| 2020 | 69.9 | 9.4% | 38.2% | 1,238 | 1.60 |
| 2021 | 60.6 | 9.2% | 36.7% | 1,283 | 1.66 |
| 2022 | 65.5 | 7.9% | 34.6% | 1,355 | 1.74 |
| 2023 | 66.2 | 7.5% | 35.3% | 1,411 | 1.81 |
| 2024 | 64.7 | 9.0% | 35.9% | 1,441 | 1.84 |
| 2025 | 64.4 | 9.7% | 36.3% | 1,420 | 1.80 |
| 2026 | 58.9 | 9.0% | 38.5% | 1,461 | 1.83 |
How Dorset ranks, year to March 2026
1st means the highest figure of all forces with comparable data. Higher is not always worse: a high charge rate is generally good.
| Measure | Dorset | England and Wales | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime rate per 1,000 people | 58.9 | 84.7 | 39th of 42 |
| Violent crime per 1,000 people | 23.1 | 31.8 | 40th of 42 |
| Theft per 1,000 people | 19.6 | 26.5 | 28th of 42 |
| Charge rate | 9.0% | 8.6% | 23rd of 42 |
| Closed with no suspect identified | 38.5% | 37.8% | 6th of 42 |
| Officers per 1,000 people | 1.83 | 2.36 | 35th of 42 |
Crown Court cases waiting in Dorset
Open cases at 31 March each year. Court figures follow where the Crown Court sits.
| 31 March | Cases waiting | Per 1,000 people | England and Wales per 1,000 | Typical days from offence to end of case* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 443 | 0.58 | 0.84 | Not available |
| 2017 | 449 | 0.59 | 0.72 | 236 |
| 2018 | 421 | 0.55 | 0.63 | 220 |
| 2019 | 472 | 0.61 | 0.57 | 235 |
| 2020 | 475 | 0.62 | 0.69 | 315 |
| 2021 | 624 | 0.81 | 1.01 | 314 |
| 2022 | 404 | 0.52 | 0.98 | 410 |
| 2023 | 400 | 0.51 | 1.05 | 423 |
| 2024 | 568 | 0.72 | 1.15 | 398 |
| 2025 | 636 | 0.81 | 1.26 | 329 |
| 2026 | 710 | 0.89 | 1.30 | 370 |
* Median for cases finished in the previous calendar year. Not available for London and Wales, because medians cannot be combined across court areas.
Questions about Dorset
What is the charge rate in Dorset?
In the year to March 2026, 9.0% of crimes recorded by Dorset ended with someone being charged or summonsed to court. The figure for England and Wales was 8.6%. That puts Dorset 23rd of 42 forces. Recent figures can rise as investigations finish.
How much crime is there in Dorset?
Dorset recorded 47,076 crimes, excluding fraud, in the year to March 2026. That is 58.9 crimes per 1,000 people, lower than the England and Wales figure of 84.7. Recorded crime only counts crimes reported to and logged by the police.
How many police officers does Dorset have?
Dorset had 1,461 full-time equivalent police officers on 31 March 2026, or 1.83 for every 1,000 people living in the area. The England and Wales figure was 2.36 per 1,000.
How many Crown Court cases are waiting in Dorset?
Crown Courts serving Dorset had 710 cases waiting to be finished at 31 March 2026. That is 0.89 per 1,000 people, fewer than the England and Wales figure of 1.30.
Where these figures come from
- Crime outcomes and charge rates: Home Office, Crime outcomes in England and Wales, open data. Excludes fraud.
- Crime rates: Office for National Statistics, police force area tables.
- Officer numbers: Home Office, Police workforce, England and Wales, full-time equivalent at 31 March.
- Court cases: Ministry of Justice, Criminal court statistics, by police force area of the court.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures per 1,000 people are our own calculations. This is an independent site, not produced or endorsed by the UK Government. Figures checked October 2026.