Amid a growing population and challenging economic environment Police across Tasman District have again recorded a decrease in recorded crime over the 2012 calendar year.
Tasman Police District covers Marlborough, Nelson Bays and the West Coast and is the most geographically spread policing district in the country.
In 2012 recorded crime dropped by -6.5 percent, from 16,695 to 15,604 offences. More than 57 percent of that crime was resolved.
Theft and related offences were down -5.8 percent, while recorded disorder type offending rose by 0.6 percent.
Tasman District Commander Superintendent Richard Chambers said the increase in disorder offences recorded was a direct result of the proactive work being done around breaches of the liquor ban and alcohol-fuelled disorderly behaviour.
"When we take a proactive approach to a problem we expect to see a jump in the number of offences recorded. That's particularly noticeable in this reporting period in Nelson Bays. However, we know that in the current fiscal year those numbers are already trending downwards and that's a sign that people are now getting the message about what is acceptable behaviour.
"The gains in recent months through our prevention work paint a very encouraging picture right across the District."
Public education around crime prevention, environmental design initiatives and good old fashioned visible policing were all playing an integral part, Superintendent Chambers said.
He said the next big change for Tasman Police was the roll out of mobile technology, due to start in June this year.
"The mobility project is all about freeing up officers from administrative tasks and redirecting that time into prevention work. It signals a very exciting change in the way we conduct our business," he said.
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