Authorities in Dorset are attempting to crackdown on violence, aggression and harassment in the workplace.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that Dorset Police have reported more than 800 incidents, with more than 500 causing injury, in three years.

And a report before Dorset County Council’s staffing committee highlighted that violence, aggression and harassment at work are one of the leading causes of reported workplace incidents within the council.

Authorities are therefore ensuring staff are receiving the appropriate training on how to handle any potential situations.

Between 2014 and 2016 a total of 848 incidents of assault were reported by Dorset Police - 503 of the incidents involved in injury to the officer.

Numbers have increased from 220 in 2014 to 321 in 2016, both on and off police premises.

Addressing what is being done to try to reduce assault on police, Chief Inspector Ian Roe of Dorset Police said: “Officers and police staff who have contact with the public, such as PCSOs and custody detention officers, undergo annual Personal Safety Training - which includes specific training to allow officers and staff to identify behaviour and potential violent intention before it becomes an assault.

“The training also provides officers and staff with skills to allow them to be prepared for a potential assault. Dorset Police are also considering an uplift in the number of Specially Trained Officers (STO’s) who will be trained to carry Tasers.”

Chief Inspector Roe added: “Unfortunately, the nature of policing means that our officers and staff will, at times, encounter hostility, however, we do not tolerate any type of assault on our staff and any offenders are dealt with robustly.”

Although there was only nine reports of violence, aggression or harassment at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council and West Dorset District Council in 2016, the authority has adopted a zero tolerance approach to protect officers.

Fiona Napier, communications and customer experience manager for West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said while any abuse was a concern, given the number of interactions between council staff and the public, the level was minimal.

She said: “In general, most of our interactions with customers are positive and professional as our officers deliver high quality services to thousands of people each week. However, on occasion, there have been incidents of verbal abuse against our staff, which is not acceptable and in serious situations, is referred immediately to the police.”

“We’re committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment and have provided information and training for frontline officers to enable them to perform their work safely.”

Figures on the number of workplace incidents relating to violence, aggression and harassment were requested from DCC but refused.

A DCC spokesman said: “We cannot report on incidents within separate organisations such as Tricuro or academies. As far as comparing previous year’s figures this is difficult due to the transfer of staff to these organisations and changes in reporting rates brought about by staff training, so we feel that any report wouldn’t be a true reflection of a trend.”

A new policy to reduce violence, aggression and harassment at Dorset County Council came in to effect on April 1 2017.