Canterbury District Police
31 June 2004 - 1 July 2005
see www.police.govt.nz for further information
Canterbury people should feel safer with total crime down to a new ten year low. The amount of total crime recorded in Canterbury over the last 12 months decreased by 5%, a figure that is heartening for the public and staff, says District Commander, Superintendent Sandra Manderson. (2003/04= 50042, 04/05= 47532). This figure is the lowest for the past ten years. Total resolutions are up by 2%.
Of the four sub areas in the Canterbury district, Christchurch Central showed the greatest reduction in total crime, down 12%.
The reduction is due to the significant drop in crimes of dishonesty,
particularly in burglaries and theft ex cars. Burglary of Dwellings show a 13% drop, (03/04= 4890, 04/05=4253), a new ten year low. Christchurch Central has the largest drop in this type of crime, down 25%.
Thefts ex car offences have dropped 12% (03/04= 7325, 04/05= 6444), with the resolution rate static at 6%.
The Car conversions class of offences is down 8% (03/04=5190, 04/05=4781) which is the second lowest in the last ten years. This drop has occurred across the entire Canterbury district.
Targeted policing operations, as outlined in the 2004-05 Business plan, are largely responsible for these figures, says Superintendent Manderson.
"Canterbury Police have focused on crime reduction. All of our staff have worked hard to achieve these results. A lot of new initiatives have been implemented throughout the year. These results are a testimony to the combined effort of the police in partnership with other government agencies and the community."
Violence offences are up by 7%, (2003/04= 4083, 04/05= 4376), however there has been a corresponding improvement in the resolutions up to 77%, representing a 2% improvement on the 2003/04 year.
"Violent offending in the inner city has remained stable, " says Superintendent Manderson. Violence offences in the inner city are up only 0.2%.
Drug offences are down 7.3% over the whole district.