Tasmania Police and Glenorchy City Council Mayor Sue Hickey have today championed the positive impact high-visibility policing is having in the community.
At a joint media event in Glenorchy on Wednesday, Inspector Jason Klug and Ms Hickey highlighted recent police data which showed a 16 per cent reduction in total offences in the Glenorchy division over the past 12 months.
There were 4578 total offences in the 2023-24 financial year, compared with 3848 total offences in the 2024-25 financial year.
Youth offences in 2023-24 were 928 and fell to 731 in 2024-25, a reduction of 21 per cent.
Audio and photographs from Wednesday's media event are available here.
Inspector Klug said results since the implementation of Taskforce Respect in mid-May had been particularly encouraging.
"What we've seen in regard to calls for police assistance in the CBD is that our calls have reduced by about 40 per cent since the introduction of Taskforce Respect, so these are some really positive figures," Inspector Klug said.
"But we're not going to take our foot off the pedal.
"We're going to continue the hard work that we're doing. We're going to continue working with our partners across the Glenorchy area to ensure that our community is safe, and feels safe, and enjoys the wonderful public spaces we have."
Inspector Klug said community engagement and collaboration with local business and the Glenorchy City Council was key to making a positive change.
Supporting police, Ms Hickey thanked officers from Taskforce Respect and the wider police service for their work in targeting anti-social behaviour and retail crime in Glenorchy, and backed the continuation of the taskforce.
Ms Hickey said the council would continue to deliver programs to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, including a youth engagement program with additional activities on offer in the school holiday period.
"Seeing our youth engagement officers and police working directly with young people, whether it's by having a game of street basketball or just being available for a quiet chat and understanding any issues they may be dealing with, is something I am particularly proud of as Mayor," she said.
"Our young people are part of our community too, and they do not deserve to be tarnished by the same brush wielded by a minority of their peers who do the wrong thing."
Ms Hickey said council youth engagement staff would be running basketball sessions in the Glenorchy CBD each day of the school holidays, with other school holiday activities available at the Moonah Arts Centre, ranging from beatboxing workshops to art programs.
These activities can be accessed by visiting the Moonah Arts Centre website – www.moonahartscentre.org.au
As part of the council's ongoing collaboration with Tasmania Police, Crime Stoppers and Neighbourhood Watch, a pop-up stall focusing on community safety will be held at Northgate Shopping Centre on Thursday, from 11am to 3pm.
Attendees will have the opportunity to speak directly with Inspector Klug and Glenorchy Council's Safe City Lead, Ben Hughes.
If you need to report a crime, contact police on 131 444 or you can report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au
CAPTIONS:
Glenorchy City Council Mayor Sue Hickey and Tasmania Police Glenorchy Inspector Jason Klug, with members of Taskforce Respect, working to target anti-social behaviour and retail crime in Glenorchy. (Picture: Tasmania Police)
Tasmania Police Constable Emily Griggs, from Taskforce Respect, has been working with the community to bring positive change to incidents of retail crime and anti-social behaviour in Glenorchy. (Picture: Tasmania Police)
