MEDIA RELEASE
EMBARGOED TO 10AM, WEDNESDAY 1 APRIL 2009
Calendar year crime - Waikato District
Fewer victims and a stronger likelihood of offenders being caught were the main positives to come out of calendar year crime statistics released today.
The figures for 2008 show the Waikato is at the forefront in reducing crime.
Across the District there were 1234 less offences reported to Police during 2008.
Dishonesty offences dropped by 12% from 18,531 to 16389. These offences include car conversion, which fell 7%, theft, which fell 11%, and burglary, which fell 21%.
The good news continued with an increase in the number of offenders caught and the Waikato's resolution rate rising to just under 50 per cent.
Waikato District Commander, Superintendent Allan Boreham, said this figure was particularly bad news for recidivist or career criminals who now faced a greater likelihood of arrest.
"Our District's 3.7 per cent reduction in overall crime was the second highest drop in the country and bucked the national trend of a 1.2 per cent increase.
"Hamilton City has had some real positive results with a 6.5 per cent reduction in crime which includes a 31.4 per cent reduction in dwelling burglaries. Across the District the Eastern Waikato saw 79 less offences while the Western Waikato suffered a two per cent rise."
Mr Boreham said while those results reflected the great efforts put in by Waikato staff the figures released still offered opportunities for improvement particularly around violence.
"Last year there were 4,492 violent offences recorded in the District, a rise of 12 per cent. To address this we've developed a broad spectrum package of responses with partner agencies to achieve a long term solutions.
"This includes increasing the visibility of Police, bar security and City Council patrols in the CBD as part of project Mello-Yello, working with signatories to the Hamilton Alcohol Accord to address alcohol related violence, the continuing work of the Family Violence Safety Team (FST) and the formation of the Family Violence Investigation Team (FVIT)."
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When family violence offences were removed from violent offending as a whole the Hamilton City suffered the exact same number of offences as the previous year, 1392.
"We see tackling family violence issues as a core goal for 2009 which is why we're tackling the issue at the roots. In addition to the FST and FVIT we've doubled the number of Community Constables and introduced Campus Cops to work with problem families, identifying issues early on to refer on to appropriate agencies for follow up.
"While we want to see the number of family violence incidents diminish we're also aware that the increase in reporting also reflects confidence in Police to investigate an issue that previously happened behind closed curtains."
Partnerships with the community and other agencies are the key to continuing crime reduction in tough economic times said Mr Boreham.
"By each piece of the puzzle coming together we stand a better chance of reducing the number of victims of crime in our District."
ENDS