NSW Police have welcomed a decrease in domestic violence offences according to the latest BOCSAR data, NSW Police say.
The quarterly statistics released today (Thursday 7 December 2017), indicate a reduction of 3.5 per cent in the 24 months to September 2017.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller APM, said new strategies allow officers to place greater emphasis on perpetrators and hold them more accountable.
"For a long time, modern law enforcement has focused just on victims of domestic violence, which is entirely appropriate, but the perpetrators are the ones who need to be held to account," Commissioner Fuller said.
"Protection of victims is paramount and, I will continue working towards reducing domestic violence offences in NSW.
NSW Police has had success with initiatives like Suspect Target Management Plans, Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Teams, DVEC as well as changes to legislation to ensure a continued focus on disruption and prevention.
"Programs like the Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Teams, which I launched across the metropolitan region in 2016, have allowed police to proactively target recidivist offenders.
"We have already seen the positive impacts these teams have had, which is why we are continuing to roll them out across the state.
"A reduction in domestic violence offences is encouraging and, while we remain cautiously optimistic, we know there is a great deal of work ahead of us to combat this insidious crime. Continuing to work with victims is a priority, but we also need to urge the community to come forward and help," Commissioner Fuller said.
Statewide, there has been a reduction in the following major crime categories:
· Domestic violence related assault - down 3.5 per cent
· Break and enter – dwelling - down 7.8 per cent
· Break and enter – non-dwelling - down 5.8 per cent
· Steal from dwelling - down 5.7 per cent
· Steal from person - down 11.1 per cent
· Fraud - down 8.5 per cent
· Malicious damage to property - down 2.7 per cent
Possession of cocaine has increased by 41.2 per cent, with Sydney’s inner city and Eastern Suburbs contributing significantly to the upward trend.
This can be attributed to the proactive work being conducted by police to target the supply and possession of these and other illicit drugs across NSW.
The Police Transport Public Safety Command are working to reduce transport regulatory offences, which include fare evasion, falsely buying concession tickets, and drinking alcohol on public transport.
The increased trend of 12.6 per cent can be attributed to proactive police work.
Retail theft is the only major crime category to see an upward trend of 4.7 per cent which is possibly the result of greater reporting of incidents.
"With an overall decrease in crime statistics, it is reflective of the continued hard work and dedication of police in putting the community first," Commissioner Fuller said.
