Decrease in overall crime for Waikato District

A drop in reported offences in Hamilton City was the main driver behind an overall drop in crime across the Waikato over the past Financial Year according to crime statistics release today.

While pleased with the decrease in crime overall the Waikato Police District's Commander, Superintendent Win van der Velde, said some of the crime types where recorded offences rose were positives as well.

"Public order offences, principally breaches of the liquor ban rose by 13.9 per cent but at the same time there were  64  less public place assaults. This means proactive strategies such as the liquor ban, which enables us to nip issues in the bud before they escalate, keeps people safe while avoiding clogging up the court system as offenders can be dealt with via pre-charge warnings.

"Two other successful proactive strategies that have seen increases in the number of offences recorded  is in the area of drug offending, which rose 12.7 per cent and the number of receiving stolen goods offences which rose by 18.6 per cent."

Mr van der Velde said what this means is, that with the District wide focus on burglary and other dishonesty offending, 81 more offences were recorded in the receiving stolen goods category.

"Burglary, which rose in the District by 15.8 per cent, is a real problem in the Waikato so by arresting the people who create the demand for stolen goods, the receivers, our staff are focusing on the root cause of the problem.

"Likewise, drugs are a major driver of dishonesty offending. So with 244 more drug offences detected it becomes harder for thieves stealing your goods to find drugs to exchange them for, it's all about making the Waikato more uncomfortable for offenders to operate in."

And while crime has fallen in the City the rural areas of the Waikato continue to experience an increase in crime with 148 (2 per cent) more offences recorded in the Eastern Waikato and 154 (2.3 per cent) more in the Western Waikato.

"Again a lot of this offending is dishonesty driven as thieves take advantage of the complacency of rural residents. But steps are in place to address this including the recently introduced Waikato Task Force and at the local level, the Kawhia Anti-Poaching initiative.

"The task force focuses District wide resources on to problem areas and issues, so if you have a problem in say Thames, it's not just Thames Police dealing with the problem but the whole of the Waikato's resources applied to creating a solution."

Mr van der Velde said a realignment of Police across the country currently underway will see a refocus of resources in the Waikato to move from responding to crimes to preventing them happening.
"Waikato residents will see more officers out on the streets and rural roads as we start to utilise the new technology such as the Crime Reporting Line and the streamlining of File Management.

"We're placing a greater emphasis on the front line, ensuring they get the support they need to be in the right place at the right time but to do this we need your help."

Mr van der Velde said helping Police help the community need not be complicated.

"We're talking about getting to know your neighbours, recording the details of your valuables on databases such as available on Operation SNAP, establishing urban and rural Neighbourhood Support Groups.

"It also includes everyone accepting safer journeys are everyone's responsibility in the effort to reduce not only crime but crash trauma as well. And above all it's about notifying the Police if you see something wrong."