Crime Stats Show Pleasing Drop in Recorded Offences

The number of recorded offences per 10,000 people in Palmerston North has dropped by over a quarter in the last 10 years.

Police statistics released show that during the same time the comparable figure for the whole country has dropped by 11 percent.

Area Commander for Palmerston North Police, Inspector Pat Handcock, says it’s especially pleasing there’s been a big drop in crimes in public places in Palmerston North. It’s reflected in the past year by a 12 percent drop whereas national figures show no change.

Inspector Handcock says this is the result of many organisations working together on prevention and enforcement strategies. These organisations include the Police, City Council, Safety Advisory Board, SafeCity Hosts, Iwi groups and community organisations such as Drug Arm.

Initiatives undertaken include the Square redevelopment, the installation of CCTV cameras, the liquor ban in the Central Business District (CBD) and new policing practices.

“Police and other agencies are continually reviewing past initiatives and exploring other possible enhancements to ensure we continue to make positive progress in improving public place safety,” Pat Handcock says.

This drop in crime figures is reflected in how safe Palmerston North people feel in public places at night.

Over the past nine years the City Council has carried out an annual survey of residents’ satisfaction with safety in public places.

Head of Community Planning, Andrew Boyle, says the survey shows that satisfaction (among those with an opinion) has increased from around 45 percent during the early 2000s to about 60 percent over the past three years.

“Common reasons people gave for feeling safer were the improvements in the Square. Many people said the improvements had brought more people in to the CBD which made them feel safer,” Andrew says.

Mayor Jono Naylor says the reduction in the number of recorded offences is great news.

“We want to make Palmerston North a great place to live and a big part of that is people’s feelings about safety,” Jono Naylor says.

“Our city has been buzzing with events lately – things like the Highlanders’ game, the student city concert and the Festival of Cultures. It’s great to see people out enjoying themselves without having to worry about their safety. Or the kids are out and their parents can feel confident they’ll be safe.”