Auckland City's liquor ban reduces crime

Data supplied by the New Zealand Police shows Auckland City has bucked the national trend as its liquor bans have helped to bring a drop in offending. Image / Herald graphic

Crime in Auckland City dropped more than anywhere else in the country last year.

National figures for 2008 issued yesterday show a 1.2 per cent increase in crimes reported to police - mostly because of rises in drug-related, violence and sexual offending.

But Auckland City bucked the trend with 2259 fewer crimes reported than in 2007 and police say tougher enforcement of the city's liquor ban is behind the fall.

Alcohol is a major factor in most incidents police deal with, often leading to disorder, violence and property damage.

Auckland City police believe cracking down on alcohol offences, with 362 more liquor ban breaches last year, led to a 14.4 per cent reduction in disorder - or 468 fewer offences.

They also believe increased enforcement of the city's liquor ban has led to a 1.4 per cent reduction in drug and anti-social crimes.

Auckland City Mayor John Banks said last year's debate about 24-hour liquor licences had focussed a lot of attention on street policing.

He said proactive street policing, particularly after dark, combined with "new brooms" leading the police at district and regional level had produced impressive results.

Auckland City also recorded reductions in dishonesty offences, property damage, property abuse, sexual offending and administrative crimes.

The only area of crime to increase was violence, which police are again attributing to the increased reporting of family violence following public campaigns against it.

The Auckland City District Commander, Superintendent George Fraser, welcomed the figures.

"It's a good example of good proactive early intervention and is a timely opportunity to acknowledge the staff within the district and their preparedness to try new initiatives. This has basically all come together to reduce overall crime reported."

Mr Fraser said police were encouraging the public to report family violence and welcomed strong partnerships with government and non-government agencies to support people in vulnerable situations.

Nationally, there were 5001 more offences reported during the 2008 calendar year, compared with 2007.

Police have defended the increases, saying that with the country's growing population taken into account recorded offences per 10,000 people rose just 0.2 per cent.

The greatest percentage rises were in violent crimes (up 5.2 per cent), followed by drugs and anti-social offences (up 4.2 per cent) and sexual offences (up 3.3 per cent).

While crime rates are at the highest they have been in 10 years, Assistant Commissioner Grant Nicholls emphasised the resolution rates - police catching offenders - was also at the highest level in a decade, at 46.7 per cent.

Dishonesty offending, which includes burglaries and car thefts, accounted for 51.6 per cent of the crimes last year, but was down by 0.9 per cent on 2007.

Fraud offences increased by 18.9 per cent and home burglaries rose by 4.3 per cent.