Weymouth Councillor Continues Push for Action on Marsh Drug Dealing Concerns

Weymouth councillor Alex Fuhrmann has provided an update on efforts to tackle concerns about alleged drug dealing and anti-social behaviour on the Marsh following a strong public response to a recent social media post.

The councillor said he had received a significant number of comments and personal experiences from residents after raising concerns about the issue last week, prompting him to take the matter directly to local policing representatives and senior officials.

As part of his efforts, Cllr Fuhrmann met with officers from Weymouth & Portland Police to discuss both his own experiences and those shared by members of the community.

Following those discussions, he said he had been assured that there are practical steps that can be taken on behalf of residents. One proposal is to encourage more visible foot patrols through the Marsh area over the coming months.

According to the councillor, regular walk-through patrols could help deter criminal activity while also strengthening relationships between police officers and young people in the community.

He said it was important that those involved in criminal behaviour understood that officers were actively present in the area and that children had opportunities to engage with police face-to-face rather than only seeing officers in passing vehicles.

The councillor has also written to the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner to raise concerns about the current online crime reporting process.

In his correspondence, Cllr Fuhrmann highlighted what he described as the “absurdity” of aspects of the reporting system and reflected public frustrations around reporting crime. He said he had drawn on his own experiences as well as feedback received from residents.

The aim, he explained, is to encourage discussions around how community concerns can be reported more effectively while ensuring police resources remain focused on tackling serious crime.

While acknowledging that the measures being pursued are not “ground-breaking solutions”, the councillor stressed that addressing long-standing issues such as drug-related activity requires sustained effort rather than quick fixes.

He pledged to continue working with local police and relevant authorities to seek improvements and represent the concerns of residents.

The update comes amid ongoing discussions within the community about crime reporting, visibility of policing, and public confidence in local enforcement efforts across Weymouth.

Cllr Fuhrmann concluded his update by thanking residents for their engagement and feedback, saying he would continue trying to make a positive difference on behalf of the community.