Marlborough Police have country's top crime resolution rate

Police in Marlborough resolved nearly 98 percent of drug crimes in 2010 and have the highest total crime resolution rate for any area in New Zealand.

Marlborough Police also put a dent in all criminal offending, reducing reported crime by 5.3 percent.

The annual crime statistics released today showed that nationally reported crime was down 5.6 percent.

The total number of recorded crimes for Marlborough was 5594, of which 62.8 percent were resolved. This resolution rate is well above the national average of 47.5 percent.

Marlborough Area Commander Inspector Steve Caldwell said the figures reflected his staff doing the basics of policing well.

"We make no secret of the fact we've been targeting known offenders, especially drug dealers, and we're working with our communities to keep Marlborough a safe place," Inspector Caldwell said.

The largest reduction in reported crime in Marlborough was for sexual assault and related offences, which were down 19 percent on 2009 figures. Over the past three years the number of crimes in this category have been tracking down, while the resolution rate has been tracking up and currently sits at 67.6 percent.

The biggest jump in crime volume was for dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, which have gone up 40 percent since 2009, however the resolution rate has also gone up and sits at 76.2 percent.

The highest crime resolution figures are for illicit drug offences. Marlborough Police resolved 96.8 percent of all recorded drug crimes in 2010.

While Marlborough performed well at national level, the whole of Tasman District was also a top performer.

Tasman Police District includes the West Coast, Nelson Bays and Marlborough.

Nationally Tasman recorded the highest equal crime resolution rate, about 57 percent, and had the third biggest reduction in recorded crime, about 8 percent.

Tasman District Commander Superintendent Gary Knowles said, while he was very pleased to see the district was performing so well against national figures, his goal remained to further reduce crime and to resolve even more cases.

"Recorded crime across the District, per head of population, is the lowest it has been since 2007. My expectation is to continue that trend towards lower crime and higher resolution rates.

"We've had some big challenges, with the Pike River coal mine explosion and the operation against organised crime that saw every member of the Red Devils gang locked up. Our District has risen to those challenges and performed admirably. We were also the first District to help out after the devastating Christchurch earthquake."

"It is especially pleasing to see that these large operations have not had a negative impact on our ability to be effective in day-to-day policing.

"Right now Police in Tasman District are doing an excellent job and I think the general public see that. The level of support we are getting from the public is extremely gratifying.

"That public trust and confidence underpins positive policing and we don't take it for granted," he said.