RESIDENTS have been asked try their hand at being chief constable of Dorset Police for the day with the release of an interactive online 'priority setter'.

Dorset Police has launched 'Your Dorset. Your Police. Your View.', an online tool which gives the public the opportunity to put themselves in the Chief Constable's shoes and decide which areas of policing should be prioritised.

Through a simple slider tool, you will be able to see the potential impact that increasing or decreasing resources in any one area could have on the service provided across Dorset.

Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “I'm going to ask you to be chief constable for the day, and I'm going to ask you where you would set your priorities when setting a police budget.

"It may give you a sense of the difficulties that we sometimes face when balancing priorities across the county.

"The last few years have seen an unprecedented scale of change in policing. Every police force has needed to make large financial savings, while modernising and continuing to deliver essential policing services.

“Four years ago we asked the public for their views on our priorities. The findings from that piece of work have helped to shape the force we are today."

On the online platform, residents are asked to spend points to decide whether more or less resources should be spent in areas of policing such as tackling county lines drug networks, counter-terrorism and rural crime.

It is hoped that the information gathered from this campaign will help to inform the Chief Constable in shaping how the Dorset Police allocates its resources in the future.

Mr Vaughan added: "Through ‘Your Dorset. Your Police. Your View’ we are once again giving you the opportunity to learn more about the challenges and complexities of modern policing. We also want to know what is most important to you - so you can tell us how Dorset Police can continue to best meet your needs, and keep you safe in the future.

“I would urge everyone who lives, works or visits Dorset to take a look at the website and to take part."

'Your Dorset. Your Police. Your View’ will be separated into two stages over the next four months. Each stage will allow Dorset residents to consider on two separate themes that are key to how the county is policed.

Activities during each stage will provide in-depth information about key themes. This will give the public a better understanding to accurately share their views about what is most important to them, and how the police should be approaching challenges in that area.

To cast your decisions go to https://dp.budgetsimulator.com/.