Bay of Plenty Police deliver consistently strong resolutions result

Crime statistics released today indicate that the Bay of Plenty Police District has again solved more crime than ever before, with 4,358 more crimes resolved last year.

This brings the District's resolution rate up to 58.1 percent – well above the national average of 47.8 percent.

The Bay of Plenty Acting District Commander, Inspector Mark Harrison, says the District has returned consistently high and increasing resolution rates for the past five years and this is a result Police staff, and the community, should be proud of.

"A significant part of solving crime is about Police and the public working together, so this is very much a joint achievement.

"Resolutions are an important measurement for us because it means we are solving more crime and holding more offenders accountable for their actions. At the same time, we are giving resolution to victims."

The 2009 calendar year also featured a decrease in vehicle dishonesty offences, with the number of thefts from cars and stolen cars dropping by 4.9 percent and 9 percent respectively.

Overall, the crime statistics indicate the Bay of Plenty District saw a 13 percent increase across all crime. The total number of offences was 39,188.

Inspector Harrison says the increase has come from a range of crime areas, including drugs (both cannabis and methamphetamine), family violence, disorder, property abuse and violence.

"While the numbers are disappointing, much of the increase can be attributed to a high level of proactive policing in a number of key areas, including being visible and proactive in the CBD (disorder), on prioritising reports of family violence, and taking a strong approach to drugs by focusing on organised crime.

"The increase in the number of violence offences is largely driven by an increase in the reporting of family violence offences. This is a trend that is likely to continue, as more people than ever before are reporting incidents of family violence.

"This is actually a positive development for our community because it means that family violence is becoming less acceptable and more people are taking a stand against it.

"Family Violence is not okay. It is a serious crime and it happens in all ethnic, cultural, socio-economic and geographic areas and age-groups. Police, agencies, community organisations and the public must continue to work together to help break the cycle of family violence."

Inspector Harrison says Family Violence is a key strategic focus for Bay of Plenty Police.

"Our strategy is a positive action approach, meaning we will always take action of some kind. Our policy is to make victims and their families safe by arresting or removing the offender for a "cooling off" period and we will hold them accountable for their actions. We then work with other agencies to help develop sustainable solutions for families moving forward."

Inspector Harrison says crime statistics are an important benchmark for Police, and provide the opportunity to check and challenge the District's strategy, and provide the information to adjust it as required.

He says there are a number of other important benchmarks which also contribute to the bigger picture, including perceptions of safety surveys.

"We have made good inroads in a number of areas, and we know that much of this increase can be attributed to strong proactive Police focus. However, the numbers are important and we need to take them into account as we're planning our activities over the days, weeks, months and year ahead. This information helps inform our direction," says Inspector Harrison.