Proactive policing continues to have a positive impact on reducing crime across the state according to the latest quarterly crime data released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR, NSW Police say)
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller APM, said the figures are a testament to the ongoing commitment of frontline police state-wide, with three of the major crime categories falling and 12 remaining stable.
"It is encouraging to see the continuing efforts of police having a significant impact reducing crime in our communities across the state.
"Our ongoing priority is to continue to enhance the capabilities of our officers as they proactively focus on preventing and disrupting crime," said Commissioner Fuller.
In the 24 months to March 2018, there has been a reduction in the following major crime categories across the state:
- Break and enter (non-dwelling) – down 10 per cent
- Steal from motor vehicle – down 3.3 per cent
- Fraud – down 3.5 per cent
BOCSAR noted despite the overall falling levels of crime, some parts of the Greater Sydney region saw an upward trend in some categories, including sexual assault.
This trend can be attributed to a number of factors, such as the reporting of sexual assaults, where statistics are based on the date the offences were reported, not the date they were committed.
In addition, police have been actively encouraging the community to report historic assaults, which also leads to a significant increase in the number of reports received.
A large proportion of the reports also stemmed from referrals from the Royal Commission.
Across the state, arrests for drug offences, such as possession and use of cocaine, have notably increased by 46 per cent in the last two years.
Commissioner Fuller said police will continue to target organised crime networks responsible for the distribution of illicit substances through regular drug operations, including the use of drug dogs.
"Our focus is community safety and we won’t tolerate behaviour that risks the wellbeing of others."
As part of the re-engineering process, the NSW Police Force has announced several new specialist units, including the Fixated Persons Investigations Unit and five new Region Enforcement Squads (RES).
These RES units are comprised of specially-trained police tasked to disrupt drug supply and target gun crime, as part NSW Police Force’s commitment to providing specialist resources to regional areas.
Commissioner Fuller said the restructure is a unique step forward in modern policing, making the NSW Police Force more agile, and capable of accommodating the demand for officers in the areas they are most needed.
"These changes see our officers refocussing their efforts on frontline services, allowing us to respond to crime quickly, better serve the community and continue driving down crime," said Commissioner Fuller.
