Thousands of members of the public have submitted dashcam footage to Dorset Police reporting alleged driving offences – but almost half of all submissions were rejected over the past three years.
Figures released by Dorset Police under the Freedom of Information Act show that the number of public submissions through Operation Snap has increased significantly, rising from 1,817 in 2023 to 3,436 in 2025.
Operation Snap allows members of the public to submit video and photographic evidence of potential road traffic offences to Dorset Police.
According to Dorset Police, footage can be reviewed for offences including dangerous driving, driving while using a handheld mobile phone, driving without due care and attention, careless driving, red-light offences and breaches of solid white lines.
More than 8,000 submissions in three years
The latest FOI disclosure, reference 01/FIN/26/004927/Q, covers the three complete calendar years of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The figures show:
Year Submissions NIPs/Cautions Rejected Most common rejection reason
2023 1,817 1,045 772 Does not meet charging standards
2024 2,764 1,377 1,387 Does not meet charging standards
2025 3,436 1,623 1,813 Not in the public interest
Across the three years, Dorset Police received 8,017 Operation Snap submissions.
Of those, 4,045 resulted in a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) or caution, while 3,972 were rejected.
That means approximately 50.5% of submissions resulted in a NIP or caution, while 49.5% were rejected.
The proportion resulting in a NIP or caution also fell over the period – from around 57.5% in 2023, to 49.8% in 2024, and approximately 47.2% in 2025.
A sharp rise in reports
The number of submissions increased by almost 90% between 2023 and 2025.
There were 1,817 reports in 2023, increasing to 2,764 in 2024 before reaching 3,436 in 2025.
The latest figures suggest members of the public are increasingly using cameras and the Operation Snap system to report what they believe to be dangerous or inappropriate driving.
Dorset Police says submitted footage is reviewed by a road traffic police officer to determine whether it is of sufficient quality and whether an offence is shown. Where an offence is clearly demonstrated, possible outcomes include an advisory letter, an educational course, a fixed penalty notice or, where appropriate, prosecution.
Why are reports rejected?
The FOI disclosure states that the most common reason for rejection in 2023 and 2024 was that the submission "does not meet charging standards".
In 2025, the most common reason changed to "not in the public interest".
Dorset Police's Operation Snap guidance makes clear that simply submitting footage does not mean enforcement action will automatically follow.
The force says footage must clearly demonstrate an offence and be of sufficient quality. If no offence is identified, or the evidence is not of sufficient quality, no further action may be taken.
The force also requires people submitting footage to provide the registration number of the vehicle and be prepared to provide a witness statement and potentially attend court.
Raw footage required
Dorset Police warns members of the public not to edit footage before submitting it.
The Operation Snap submission system states that footage must be the original, unedited recording, with no voiceovers or added comments.
It also asks for footage covering at least two minutes before and after the reported incident so that officers can assess the wider circumstances.
Dorset Police advises people not to publish the footage on social media if they intend to submit it, stating that footage being publicly available could adversely affect subsequent proceedings.
The figures don't mean 4,045 people were prosecuted
It is important to note that the FOI wording refers to NIPs and/or cautions, rather than confirmed convictions or completed prosecutions.
A Notice of Intended Prosecution is an indication that police intend to pursue a potential offence; it is not itself a conviction.
Previous Dorset Police FOI disclosures have also used NIP figures when describing Operation Snap enforcement. A 2025 disclosure, for example, stated that 45% of submissions between January 2020 and 31 July 2025 had resulted in a Notice of Intended Prosecution, while explaining that penalty information was held by HM Courts & Tribunals Service.
Public increasingly acting as extra eyes on Dorset's roads
The latest figures demonstrate the scale of public involvement in road safety reporting.
With submissions almost doubling in two years, thousands of motorists and other road users are now providing footage to Dorset Police for potential enforcement action.
However, the figures also show that submitting footage does not guarantee enforcement.
Of the 3,436 submissions made during 2025, 1,813 were rejected, with Dorset Police recording the most common reason as being that action was not in the public interest.
The figures raise questions about how members of the public understand the threshold required before footage can result in enforcement, particularly as camera technology becomes increasingly common among motorists and cyclists.
Dorset Police says Operation Snap is intended to help reduce risk-taking and poor driving on the county's roads and that submissions can also be used to educate road users.
Dorset Gazette will continue to examine Dorset Police's use of Operation Snap and what happens to public reports once footage has been submitted.