Crime in Otago Rural down 17.3%

Total recorded crime in Otago Rural (the local authority areas of Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and Waitaki) continued its downward trend in 2011.

Otago Rural again recorded further reductions in the total amount of crime reported with a decrease of 17.3 % in the year to 31 December 2011.

The total number of recorded offences in 2011 was 4902, down from 5925 in 2010.

"These figures continue to build on the crime reductions made over the past three years across Otago Rural and reflect the efforts of our staff in conjunction with our communities and partner agencies, in working hard to prevent and reduce crime in our communities," said Inspector Mike Cook, Area Commander, Otago Rural.

Police have continued to focus on our deployment and our local tasking and co-ordination processes to ensure a strong and consistent focus on crime prevention. This is playing a significant role in achieving continued crime reductions, Inspector Cook said.

The number of offences classed as acts intending to cause injury continued to decrease, dropping 15.0% (551 down from 648) in 2011.

Theft and related offences decreased by 15.5% (1299 down from 1538) and offences related to property damage continued to decline, down 12.7% (959 down from 1098) from the previous year.

Overall the Southern Police District achieved a further 13.1% decrease in reported crime in the calendar year to 31 December 2011, following on from a 7.6% decrease in 2010.

"Obviously I am very pleased with these latest results. They provide further validation of the transformational change Southern District has undergone over the last three years. The most pleasing aspect is that there are over 11,000 fewer victims in our communities than there were 15 years ago," said Southern District Commander, Superintendent Bob Burns.

"We have undergone some significant change to move us from a traditional reactive style of policing to one that is far more proactive in addressing short, medium and long-term crime problems. Change is never easy, however, Southern District Police staff have proved to be extremely flexible in seizing the opportunities change has provided and together with key community partnerships, produced another year of outstanding results."

"The recently launched New Zealand Police operating strategy of Prevention First will help us to not only build on these gains but to make them sustainable. Already Southern is a safer place to live and work and I am confident we will make it even safer in the coming year."